Content Warning: This guide section depicts physical and emotional abuse. The relationship between Carmel and Nell is the centerpiece of the novel. This dynamic informs the tensions that Enright often untangles in her work, much more than either woman’s relationships to the men in their lives since these men—Phil, Ronan, Felim, and David—merely expose or affect the way Carmel and Nell engage with each other. The novel begins by showing that Nell values her independence from Carmel, which is typical of any woman entering new adulthood. They are not separated by a great distance, which enables Nell to visit Carmel on the weekends. When she does, however, she says very little about her life, which she ties to Carmel’s tendency to judge and downplay the suffering of others. Nell doesn’t fear Carmel’s judgment so much as she has learned to manage its inevitability in her life. What she wants but doesn’t get from Carmel is understanding. Instead, she turns to Phil’s <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Symbols & Motifs" href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-wren-the-wren/symbols-and-motifs/#687170">poetry</a> for support, unaware of the ways that Carmel has accidentally replicated her traumatic childhood with Nell. Carmel embraces pragmatism in her solitary life and relationship with Nell. From her <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Literary Device" href="https://www.supersummary.com/perspective/">perspective</a>, her quick judgment isn’t meant to invalidate the suffering of others but rather to encourage Nell to push on in the face of difficulty.

The Fraught Love of Mother-Daughter Relationships

The Attempt to Define the World Through Language

The Private Lives of Public Personalities

Humanities

Books & Literature

Relationships

Daughters & Sons

Family

Fathers

Literary Area of Study

Irish Literature

Values & Ideas

Loyalty & Betrayal

Emotions & Behavior

Memory

The Best of "Best Book" Lists

Book Events

Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

Anne Enright

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Book Brief

Explore The Wren, the Wren reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

About The Wren, the Wren

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore The Wren The Wren and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Wren The Wren Summary and Study Guide

Background

Get ready to explore The Wren, the Wren and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Wren, the Wren Background

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-2

The Wren, the Wren Chapters 1-2 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 3-4

The Wren, the Wren Chapters 3-4 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 5-6

The Wren, the Wren Chapters 5-6 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 7-8

The Wren, the Wren Chapters 7-8 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 9-10

The Wren, the Wren Chapters 9-10 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

The Wren, the Wren Character Analysis

theme

Themes

The Wren, the Wren Themes

Symbols & Motifs

The Wren, the Wren Symbols & Motifs

quote

citation

Important Quotes

The Wren, the Wren Important Quotes with Page Numbers

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

The Wren, the Wren Essay Topics

The Wren, the Wren

Themes

Related Titles

Featured Collections