Canadian Ice-Hockey Players
The Great One, Wayne Gretzky's favourite part of the novel begins with: “When my daughters moved to Toronto...” (Ch. 2, p. 10)
Q: Why might the narrator feel “light” rather than sad about her daughters leaving?
Leda’s sense of “lightness” stems from emotional relief and reclaimed autonomy. Instead of feeling grief, she experiences liberation — a release from the all-consuming weight of motherhood. This reaction challenges the conventional belief that maternal love is defined by constant attachment and emotional sacrifice. Her response suggests that her identity had long been constrained by caregiving, and her daughters’ departure marks the first moment she feels fully herself again.
The Tutor is thinking this is a high distinction presentation but more importantly she is thinking about this part of the novel: “Once, twice, three times she threatened us...” (Ch. 4, p. 20)
Q: What does the mother’s behavior in this quote suggest about emotional presence vs. physical presence?
The narrator’s mother is physically there, but emotionally absent and unstable. Her repeated threats destabilize the children’s sense of safety — showing that presence isn’t just about being there, but about being trustworthy. Emotional presence requires consistency, but the mother’s words create chronic insecurity, blurring the line between care and abandonment.
The fox says zippity doo dah. But Michael J. Fox says: “I suspected that she was playing her role...” (Ch. 5, p. 22)
Q: What does the idea of “playing a role” say about how motherhood is performed in public?
Ferrante critiques the performativity of motherhood. Nina isn’t just mothering — she’s acting as a mother for an audience. This suggests that maternal identity can be externally shaped by social pressures, more about appearances than inner truth. Motherhood becomes a role women are expected to perfect for validation, even if it’s emotionally hollow.
Why do people watch other people eat? But more importantly.. “I went through the pinewood discontentedly...” (Ch. 7, p. 25)
Q: What do the contrasts between Nina and Rosaria represent in this context?
Nina is young, beautiful, and polished — Rosaria is working-class, physically unremarkable, and pregnant. The contrast highlights class, aesthetic, and social biases. Leda admits that she is drawn to Nina because of her appearance and sophistication, while ignoring Rosaria. This moment reveals the narrator’s own complicity in social hierarchies.
Basketball Hall of Famer, Shaquille O'Neal's shoe size is 22. How big is your foot? But more importantly.. "when Bianca was a small child I patiently became her doll...” (Ch. 11, p. 42)
Q: How does this passage portray the physical and emotional exhaustion of motherhood?
Leda is completely overwhelmed — juggling two young children, sleeplessness, and the psychological burden of being constantly needed. Her use of the word “complicating” downplays how consumed she feels, but the tone is bleak and resigned. The sheer physicality of her exhaustion reflects how motherhood can drain not just energy, but selfhood.
The Great One, Wayne Gretzky's favourite part of the novel begins with: “When my daughters moved to Toronto...” (Ch. 2, p. 10)
Q: How does the idea of “bringing them into the world” change in this context?
Typically, “bringing children into the world” refers to physical birth. But here, Leda reframes it as psychological separation — she only truly “brought them into the world” once they left her, became independent, and allowed her to reclaim her life. This reverses the usual maternal narrative; growth is not about her daughters clinging to her, but about her release from them.
The Tutor is thinking this is a high distinction presentation but more importantly she is thinking about this part of the novel: “Once, twice, three times she threatened us...” (Ch. 4, p. 20)
Q: How is language used here to convey instability or insecurity?
The repetition (“once, twice, three times”) mimics the trauma of constant threat. The shift from threat to reassurance — always saying she would leave, yet always staying — builds a climate of uncertainty. Her disappearing in words but remaining in body becomes a contradiction that traumatizes more deeply than physical absence might have.
The fox says zippity doo dah. But Michael J. Fox says: “I suspected that she was playing her role...” (Ch. 5, p. 22)
Q: What do you think this quote says about judgment between women — especially mothers?
The narrator is both critical and fascinated. Her suspicion implies a judgment — but also a projection. Ferrante captures how women often measure each other against unspoken standards, especially around motherhood. Beneath that, however, is a painful empathy: Leda sees herself in Nina and recognizes the mask she once wore.
Why do people watch other people eat? But more importantly.. “I went through the pinewood discontentedly...” (Ch. 7, p. 25)
Q: Why might Ferrante focus on such small, seemingly mundane social choices?
Ferrante uses minor social decisions to reveal deeper psychological truths. A refusal to change umbrellas becomes a symbol of passive arrogance. Ignoring Rosaria becomes an act of unconscious exclusion. These choices expose how classism, vanity, and unconscious judgment shape interpersonal dynamics — even among women.
Basketball Hall of Famer, Shaquille O'Neal's shoe size is 22. How big is your foot? But more importantly.. "when Bianca was a small child I patiently became her doll...” (Ch. 11, p. 42)
Q: What is the significance of the narrator describing herself as a "doll"?
Becoming a “doll” reverses the expected dynamic — Leda is no longer caregiver, but object. This metaphor reflects passivity, loss of agency, and emotional numbness. She is not a mother in control; she is played with, used, lifeless. It echoes the stolen doll later in the novel — a symbol of maternal role-playing and emotional projection.
The Great One, Wayne Gretzky's favourite part of the novel begins with: “When my daughters moved to Toronto...” (Ch. 2, p. 10)
Q: In what ways does this passage challenge the ideal of the self-sacrificing mother?
It undermines the notion that maternal devotion must be permanent and self-effacing. Leda’s emotional response exposes how the myth of self-sacrifice can mask resentment, fatigue, and a longing for individuality. She feels no guilt in this moment — only a quiet emancipation — which Ferrante presents without judgment, inviting readers to question why maternal freedom is so taboo.
The Tutor is thinking this is a high distinction presentation but more importantly she is thinking about this part of the novel: “Once, twice, three times she threatened us...” (Ch. 4, p. 20)
Q: How do the contradictions in this quote reflect broader themes in the novel?
This passage encapsulates Ferrante’s exploration of emotional ambivalence and maternal contradiction. Like Leda herself, the narrator’s mother both loves and resents her role. These contradictions reflect how women, especially mothers, often exist in a state of tension between duty and desire — a recurring motif across Ferrante’s work.
The fox says zippity doo dah. But Michael J. Fox says: “I suspected that she was playing her role...” (Ch. 5, p. 22)
Q: Is the narrator projecting her own feelings onto Nina? Why or why not?
Yes — Leda is likely projecting. Her assumption that Nina is performing for others mirrors her own past as a young mother feeling alienated by the maternal role. Ferrante uses this projection to show how unresolved guilt and self-reflection color Leda’s perception of others. Nina becomes both mirror and muse for Leda’s internal conflict.
Why do people watch other people eat? But more importantly.. “I went through the pinewood discontentedly...” (Ch. 7, p. 25)
Q: How does this moment show the narrator confronting her biases or blind spots?
Leda acknowledges her superficiality and judgment, which is rare in literature about female characters. Ferrante pushes the reader into the uncomfortable space of self-awareness, showing how privilege, desire, and guilt intersect. It’s one of several moments in which Leda experiences brief, painful clarity about her moral limitations.
Basketball Hall of Famer, Shaquille O'Neal's shoe size is 22. How big is your foot? But more importantly.. "when Bianca was a small child I patiently became her doll...” (Ch. 11, p. 42)
Q: How might this scene relate to the theme of sacrifice — or resistance to it?
Leda’s exhaustion is a result of sacrifice, but the “doll” image hints at quiet resistance — a moment of surrender that feels like erasure. By becoming an object, she exposes how motherhood can turn women into instruments for others’ needs. This moment helps explain her later choice to leave: a desperate attempt to reclaim autonomy.