Truth and lies
One of the major themes in the novel is truth and lies and how they shape our lives and relationships.
Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Giovanna, is confronted with the harsh realities of the adult world, where lies and deceit are rampant. She learns that the people she idolized and trusted the most, including her parents and their friends, are not who she thought they were.
This realization forces Giovanna to question her beliefs and values and confront the truth about herself and her relationships.
At the heart of the novel is the idea that truth and lies are not always black and white. Instead, they are complex and often intertwined, with shades of grey in between. The novel highlights that truth is subjective, and what is true for one person may not be true for another. This is exemplified in the different perspectives and versions of events presented throughout the novel. For example, the truth about Giovanna's mother's relationship with Vittoria, her estranged aunt, is seen differently by Giovanna, her mother, and Vittoria.
Another important aspect of the novel's theme of truth and lies is the role of language and communication. The characters in the novel often use language as a tool to manipulate and deceive others or to hide their true selves. This is particularly evident in the conversations between Giovanna's parents, who use language to hide their marital problems from their daughter. Giovanna herself struggles with communicating honestly with others, often lying to protect herself or others.
The novel also explores the idea that lies can be harmful and necessary. Lies can protect us from painful truths or from the consequences of our actions. For example, Giovanna's mother lies to her daughter about her relationship with Vittoria to protect her from the harsh realities of their family history. However, these lies also cause Giovanna to feel betrayed and confused when she eventually discovers the truth.
Class and social status
Another major theme in The Lying Life of Adults is the connection between class and social status.
Throughout the novel, class and social status significantly shape the characters' identities and relationships. The novel is set in Naples, Italy, where the social divide between the wealthy and poor is starkly visible. Giovanna, the protagonist, comes from a middle-class family but is exposed to the world of the wealthy through her relationship with her aunt, Vittoria, and her daughter, Angela. Giovanna becomes acutely aware of the differences between her own life and the lives of the wealthy. She begins to feel a sense of inferiority and shame about her social status.
The novel also highlights how social status affects the characters' relationships with one another. For example, Giovanna's mother is initially disdainful of Vittoria, who is poor and uneducated, and warns her daughter against associating with her. Similarly, Vittoria and her friends look down on the middle-class characters, including Giovanna's parents and their friends.
The novel also explores the idea that social status is not just about wealth but also about culture, education, and values. The characters in the novel often use language, manners, and cultural knowledge to signal their social status and to distance themselves from those they consider beneath them. This is exemplified by how Giovanna's parents and their friends speak and behave around Vittoria and her friends, using their education and cultural capital to assert their superiority.
However, the novel also suggests that social status is not fixed and can be fluid. Giovanna's experiences with Vittoria and Angela help her question her assumptions about social status and recognize the limitations of the social hierarchies she has been taught to accept. The novel ultimately suggests that our perceptions of ourselves and others are shaped by our social structures but that we have the power to challenge and change those structures.
Female identity and gender roles
Another important theme in the novel is the idea of female identity and the role of gender in shaping our experiences and relationships. The book explores the complexities of female identity through the experiences of its female characters, particularly Giovanna, her mother, and Vittoria.
One of the significant ways in which gender shapes the characters' experiences is through the societal expectations and limitations placed on women. The women in the novel are expected to conform to traditional gender roles and to prioritize their family and domestic responsibilities over their ambitions or desires. This is exemplified by the expectations placed on Giovanna's mother to be a devoted wife and mother and by the limited opportunities available to Vittoria, who cannot rise above her social status due to her gender.
However, the novel also challenges these gender expectations and limitations by exploring how the female characters resist and subvert them. For example, Vittoria is portrayed as a strong and independent woman who refuses to conform to traditional gender roles and challenges societal expectations. Similarly, while initially conforming to these expectations, Giovanna's mother eventually takes control of her own life and asserts her desires and needs.
The novel also explores the role of female relationships in shaping our identities and experiences. The relationship between Giovanna and Vittoria is particularly significant in this regard, as it exposes Giovanna to a different way of being a woman than she has been taught to accept. Through her relationship with Vittoria, Giovanna begins to question her assumptions about gender roles and recognize the limitations of the societal expectations placed on women.
