53 pages • 1 hour read
The Lying Life of Adults
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
The Lying Life of Adults (2020) by Elena Ferrante is a work of fiction. Set in Naples, Italy, the narrative is a coming-of-age story, also known as a bildungsroman, told by Giovanna Trada. Giovanna details her adolescence from 13 to 16 years of age and the growing pains she endured while searching for identity and autonomy. Themes include the struggle between good and evil, women as either sinners or saints, and compunction and gender roles, among others. Ferrante is best known for her Neapolitan series, including the novel My Brilliant Friend. This study guide utilizes the 2020 Europa Editions translation by Anne Goldstein.
Plot Summary
Thirteen-year-old Giovanna Trada overhears her father, Andrea, compare her features to his mean-spirited sister Aunt Vittoria. Giovanna is already stressed about her changing body, including recently getting her period. Now, she also fears that her changing body signifies a personality because Aunt Vittoria is synonymous with internal and external ugliness. Giovanna wants to see her aunt’s face to determine if she is indeed becoming someone reprehensible to her parents.
Giovanna tries sleuthing around her parents’ bedroom for pictures of her aunt.
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