Mona Awad, Bunny (2019)

“… Even though I knew he saw through my ravaged skin and lank hair into my very soul. Even though we loved similar music, similar books—he too had read Dante’s Inferno by candlelight, I was certain. Even though I knew he knew there were worlds in me. One time, he pity-danced with me to “Slave to Love” at the cast party. But that was it. He was in love with Alyssa Fisher, who played Véronique, his French mistress. He took her to prom. Waved at me from the dance floor. Hey, Samantha”

The mention of Dante’s Inferno in this passage reflects Samantha’s deep longing to be seen and understood. By imagining that Rob has also read it “by candlelight,” she creates a fantasy where they share a profound, intellectual connection—something she desperately craves. Inferno mirrors how she sees her own life: a personal descent into social and emotional hell, full of isolation and unfulfilled desires. Her belief that Rob might share this depth with her shows how much she wants someone to recognize the complexity she feels inside. But the irony is painfully clear—Rob’s indifference makes her hope feel misplaced, highlighting how she clings to imagined connections to escape her loneliness.  –Cammie Niles