Analyse af Ursula Hegis novelle 'The Juggler'

Write an essay (900-1200 words) in which you analyze and interpret Ursula Hegi’s short story “The Juggler“ (published 2001). A part of your essay must focus on narrative technique and composition.

“Here I thought I had done all the letting go, had prepared myself for it since the day Zoe took her first uncertain step away from me, but it never occurred to me that I would turn her over to someone who'd need her this much“(p. 2, l. 30-33). This is when the reader becomes aware of the main theme “letting go“ in the short story “The Juggler“: it turns out the mother has a harder time letting go of her daughter Zoe and accepting her growing up. The short revolves around the question - when is it the right time to let go? Is it normal to feel like a man can break a mother-daughter bond?

The central plot of this short story deals with the bond between mother-daughter and the difficult situation of letting go. The narrator is clearly finding it difficult to let go of her daughter, who she always has had a tight bond with. Throughout the short story, the narrator deals with her daughter growing up and how their relationship has changed. The short story is told in “in medias res“ that makes it easier for the reader to identify with the story and the characters. Furthermore is the short story told in a chronological order. However the chronological composition is broken by a flashback to before Zoe's parents got divorced: “ That year after her father left, Zoe baked almond cookies for me, convinced me to take ice-skating lessons with her, conspired with some of the musicians from the symphony orchestra to surprise me with a part on my thirtieth birthday“ (p. 3, l. 87-90). In this quotation, it becomes clear that after Zoe's father left, her mother was very reliant by Zoe and therefore Zoe became the mother in many ways. The theme hits point of now return when the mother wants to talk to Zoe alone while Michael is in the shower. Here there is no turning back for their relationship because they have not talked about Michael and how the mother feels about him. And not long after the climax hits where Zoe pokes at her mother making her realize that Zoe became the mother in their relationship and now it is time for the mother to grow up and let go: “That should feel familiar, then“(p. 5, l 178).