THE READING RESIDENCY

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This module delves into The Bell Jar's exploration of identity, mental illness, and societal pressure, as we follow Esther Greenwood’s unraveling sense of self against the backdrop of 1950s expectations.

In this module, we journey alongside Esther as she navigates the treacherous waters of mental illness, seeking to reclaim her identity amid despair. Through Plath's evocative prose, we’ll explore themes of survival, the complexity of healing, and the societal forces that shape our understanding of self.

In Play It As It Lays, Joan Didion presents a stark and haunting portrait of Maria Wyeth, an actress spiraling through a hollow, desolate existence in 1960s Hollywood. Through Maria’s unraveling, the novel explores themes of alienation, nihilism, and the elusive search for meaning in a world devoid of answers.

Module 1 of A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara explores the early bonds among Jude, Willem, Malcolm, and JB, establishing the foundations for an emotionally charged journey. Through Yanagihara’s fragmented narrative and nuanced character portrayals, we examine the delicate balance between friendship and the unspoken shadows of the past.

Module 2 of A Little Life explores the unfolding depth of Jude’s trauma and its effect on his relationships, particularly with Willem. Yanagihara delves into the complexities of love, empathy, and survival, portraying resilience as both a sustaining force and an emotional burden. This section challenges readers to confront what it means to endure and support others amid profound pain.

In the first half of The Cost of Living, Levy navigates the disorientation of leaving her marriage and beginning anew. This module explores themes of loss, independence, and the quiet work of carving out physical and emotional space for reinvention.

The second half of the memoir deepens Levy’s reflections on creativity, legacy, and freedom. This module examines how she reclaims her identity through writing, relationships, and the spaces she inhabits, embracing the cost of living authentically.

This module explores the fragmented beauty of Maggie Nelson’s Bluets, a work that moves through obsession, grief, and desire with an intensity that feels both deeply personal and universal. Through its meditations on the color blue, the tension of longing, and the role of art in survival, we examine how meaning is created in the spaces between what we feel and what we can articulate.

In the first half of The Cost of Living, Levy navigates the disorientation of leaving her marriage and beginning anew. This module explores themes of loss, independence, and the quiet work of carving out physical and emotional space for reinvention.

In the first half of The Cost of Living, Levy navigates the disorientation of leaving her marriage and beginning anew. This module explores themes of loss, independence, and the quiet work of carving out physical and emotional space for reinvention.

This module explores The Age of Discretion, a story of identity unraveling in the face of aging and shifting family dynamics. As the protagonist confronts a rupture in her relationship with her son, Simone de Beauvoir examines the fragile balance between love, loyalty, and ambition, offering a profound reflection on what remains when life takes an unexpected turn.

In The Monologue, Beauvoir gives voice to Murielle, a woman consumed by bitterness and estranged from those closest to her. This module delves into the story’s raw exploration of anger, isolation, and the search for meaning in the absence of connection, offering a stark portrait of freedom untethered from accountability.

This module explores “The Woman Destroyed,” a searing and intimate portrayal of a middle-aged woman grappling with the collapse of her marriage and identity. Through Monique’s raw and fragmented diary entries, Simone de Beauvoir examines the illusions we build around love, the pain of betrayal, and the existential struggle to find meaning in the ruins of a life once thought secure.

This module delves into the layered emotional and psychological terrain of Sons and Lovers, exploring the deep bonds and tensions that shape Paul Morel’s journey. Through Lawrence’s vivid prose, we trace the pull of familial devotion, the weight of unspoken expectations, and the complexities of love and desire. This is a space to reflect on the relationships that define us, the places that anchor us, and the quiet, often unspoken choices that guide us toward—or away from—ourselves.

This module explores Undine Spragg’s rise in the first half of The Custom of the Country, as she navigates the glittering world of Gilded Age society. Through her relentless ambition and calculated relationships, Edith Wharton exposes the tension between appearance and substance, critiquing the values that define success in a culture driven by materialism and social climbing.

This module delves into the second half of The Custom of the Country, where Undine’s relentless pursuit of wealth and status reaches its peak, revealing the emotional and social costs of her ambition. As her relationships grow more transactional and her dissatisfaction deepens, Edith Wharton sharpens her critique of materialism, gendered power, and the illusion of success.

This module explores the entirety of Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides, a haunting tale of obsession, grief, and the limits of understanding. Through the collective voice of neighborhood boys, the novel reconstructs the lives of the Lisbon sisters, offering a meditation on memory, cultural expectations, and the enduring mystery of tragedy.

This module explores Ursula Parrott’s Ex-Wife, a candid and groundbreaking novel about a woman navigating the aftermath of divorce in 1920s New York. Through the protagonist’s raw reflections on love, identity, and independence, we’ll examine the societal expectations placed on women, the emotional complexities of relationships, and the tension between freedom and security.