Analyse af Abigail Ulmans novelle 'Shiva'

In the short story” Shiva” written by Abigail Ulman we meet Frida and Ruthie Boyelski.

Our main character Frida has a daughter called Ruthie. Frida is very religious and” Had always wanted a daughter”. When Ruthie reveals that she always had felt herself as a boy, and wants to live as one, Frida struggles with the acceptance of that matter. Frida is doing the Shiva and the visits during that week makes Frida see Ruthies in a different way. How do we deal with changes of gender?

The short-story begins with a statement about how Frida Boyelski “had always wanted a daughter. That was her ultimate wish in life. She had a daughter and that daughter grew up into a young woman who said she was actually a young man. At first in their conversation, Frida believes her daughter Ruthie is gay. But Ruthie tells her she is not gay but transgender. Ruthie asks Frida to read a book about this, but Frida doesn’t want to read it and just says she now has a gay daughter to deal with. Ruthie is going to spend the time on her holiday at her friend Leah’s house. Frida does not want Ruthie to leave, because she has a feeling that she will come back as a different person.