In her novel "Audition," Katie Kitamura explores the theme of divided selves through the experiences of an unnamed actress who, during a pivotal performance, feels a rare moment of integration between her private and public identities. This contrasts with Kitamura's other characters, who navigate their fragmented identities with difficulty, rarely achieving such unity. In previous works, like "A Separation" and "Intimacies," women grapple with their roles and the societal expectations placed upon them, living in a constant state of flux without resolution to their identity crises.
When she finally nails the performance, she feels different: "It was that here, that the gap between my private and performed selves collapsed and...there was only a single unified self."
Kitamura's protagonists are often unnamed women negotiating their identities, rarely finding moments of integration. They reside in a liminal space caught between languages and their possible realities.
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