Intimacies

Examine the novel's treatment of moral ambiguity. In what ways do the characters grapple with ethical dilemmas, and how does Kitamura navigate the blurred lines between right and wrong? Analyze two to three specific examples to support your interpretation.

Discuss how the author creates tension and engages the reader's interpretive faculties. Consider the narrative choices that sustain a sense of uncertainty throughout the story, and use specific examples to explain why some of the tensions go unresolved.

Analyze the character of Kees. What is his purpose in the narrative? Why is it significant that the narrator sees him in the two disparate contexts of the party and the courtroom? 

Consider the author’s manipulation of time within the narrative. How does she use flashbacks to provide exposition and explore the narrator’s emotional landscape? Are the abrupt time shifts purposefully disorienting?

Many scenes in the story take place inside an art museum. Discuss the significance of this setting within the novel’s context. Compare and contrast the art-related scenes with the scenes that are set in the courtroom, paying particular attention to the author’s use of tone and figurative language. 

Discuss the authorial choice not to use quotation marks to indicate dialogue. How does this choice affect the reading experience of the novel and influence the tone?

Analyze Anton's role in the narrative. Why does the narrator become so fixated on the details of his mugging? Is her friendship with Eline genuine, or is it born of her and Jana’s obsession with the unexplainable crime? Why does the narrator leave Anton’s story unresolved?

Analyze the dynamics of the relationship between the narrator and Adriaan, particularly the ease with which she ultimately forgives him. What underlying needs prompt her considerable tolerance for his transgressions, and why does she continue to pursue a relationship with him?