Digest

Sally Rooney, author of "InterMetzso," delves into the complexities of writing from a male perspective, sharing her experiences and the challenges she faced. She also reflects on the pressures of being a young woman in the public eye, highlighting the constant scrutiny and the tension between her desire to occupy a specific cultural space and the difficulty of making room for herself within it. Rooney explores the value of art in a time of historical crisis, acknowledging the pressing nature of the climate crisis and questioning the relevance of her work in the face of such challenges. She ultimately believes that art has a role in providing meaning and purpose, emphasizing its autonomy from political urgency and the importance of allowing it to exist even if it's not perfect.

Outlines

00:01:58

Writing "InterMetzso," Public Eye, and Art's Value

Sally Rooney discusses her new novel, "InterMetzso," and the challenges of writing from a male perspective. She also reflects on the pressure of being a young woman in the public eye and the difficulty of managing hypervisibility. Rooney shares her thoughts on the value of art in a time of historical crisis and why she's not planning on adapting her work for television anytime soon.

00:34:07

The Difficulty of Being a Young Woman in the Public Eye

Rooney elaborates on the challenges of being a young woman in the public eye, highlighting the pressure to be visible and image-focused rather than intellectual. She discusses the tension between her desire to occupy a specific position in the culture and the difficulty of making room for herself within that space.

Keywords

Q&A

• What are some of the challenges you faced writing from a male perspective in "InterMetzso"?

  Rooney reveals that the first voice that came to her was Margaret's, not Ivan's. She emphasizes that it wasn't a conscious project to write about men or masculinity, but rather a natural progression of the story. She acknowledges moments of self-doubt and self-consciousness, but ultimately trusted the characters to guide her.

• How do you think about the value of your work in a time of historical crisis?

  Rooney acknowledges the pressing nature of the climate crisis and the unsustainable nature of our current world system. She questions the value of her work in the face of such challenges, but ultimately believes that art has a role in giving people a reason to go on and find meaning in life. She emphasizes the autonomy of art from political urgency and the importance of allowing it to exist even if it's not perfect.

Show Notes