5/20/2023 0 Comments Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson![]() ![]() Such instances push her mental state to the brink, as she can no longer distinguish herself from the machinations of those that surround her. Natalie’s inability to meet others’ expectations causes her to become toxically self-critical, undermining her already low self-esteem. Throughout the novel, she struggles to define herself amid the influences of her self-obsessed parents and manipulative friends who try to force their wills upon her. ![]() ![]() “Hangsaman” revolves around an introspective and introverted 17-year-old college girl named Natalie Waite. ![]() By the end of Jackson’s novel, she invests a sliver of optimism that made the experience fulfilling and oddly bittersweet. In doing so, I stumbled upon Shirley Jackson’s “Hangsaman” (1951), a signature work of gothic literature whose unsuspecting characters and suspense-filled story sent me on an emotionally draining rollercoaster. But this summer, I thought I’d experiment and explore different genres to broaden my horizons. When I look for new books to read, I tend not to stray outside of my comfort zone I usually fall into the trap of deferring to a fantasy or adventure novel to get my reading fix. ![]()
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