美国国家公共电台 NPR 'Give Me Your Hand' Explores Female Mysteries And Monstrosities

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

By and large, women have had a rough time of it in mystery novels, mostly appearing as beautiful corpses¹, appendages² to the detectives and cops and lawyers saving the day. But writers like Megan Abbott write female characters who go way beyond dead bodies. In fact, they're often killers³.

Abbott's latest thriller⁴ is called "Give Me Your Hand," and it's the story of two female scientists named Kit⁵ and Diane. They were friends in high school. But when Diane shares a dark secret, the friendship is torn apart. They're later reunited as they compete for a prestigious⁶ spot on a scientific research team. That team is studying premenstrual dysphoric disorder⁷, or PMDD, an extreme form of PMS. It's the kind of thing that's often used against women. So I asked Megan Abbott why she chose to make it a major part of her new book.

MEGAN ABBOTT: An ongoing⁸ fascination⁹ for me is this sort of idea that the female body is monstrous¹⁰ and that women aren't in control of their emotions and all of that. But the fact is there is a real thing and is not uncommon¹¹. And like so many women's health issues, it's just been very under-researched and stigmatized¹². It's also been used in a few cases as a criminal defense¹³, which is how I first sort of began reading about it - not successfully, by the way. But it does really wreak¹⁴ havoc¹⁵ on the women who suffer from it.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So we're not going to talk about the central mystery of the book, but I do want to talk about this idea of what motivates women to kill. Dr. Severin, who runs the lab where these two scientists work, muses¹⁶ that maybe there's something violent and sort of essentially¹⁷ scary about women. And this is, in essence, what you've made your career about, right?

ABBOTT: Yes. And it's so much, of course, about the - what has been projected upon women throughout time, you know? We're always sort of, you know, sort of the victim of, you know, hundreds of sort of legends and stereotypes¹⁹ and archetypes. And I think that women do commit murder far less frequently. And when they do, it's so much more shocking to people, somehow. So I think there is a desire to somehow make it seem monstrous and also make it seem extraordinary because, you know, why would women ever be violent? They should be happy.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Right...

ABBOTT: Everything should be great.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: And men have a monopoly - yes - on violence, right...

ABBOTT: (Laughter) Yes. Still do (laughter).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Still do. You've set mysteries in gymnastics clubs and cheerleading teams and now the oh-so-brutally competitive science academic community. But your work focuses on this fine line between friendship and rivalry²⁰, and you do this so well. How do you explore what's almost a trope about women without making it a trope?

ABBOTT: Yeah. It is really tricky²¹. I mean, there's that phrase that sort of gets bandied around - frenemy, you know? - for those women in our lives who we are very close to. But there is that competitive instinct. And I think part of it is that - is still, as a culture, women are not supposed to be ambitious or competitive in the same way. And when they are, it's frightening. So it gets sort of subverted²³ or pushed down or suppressed. And then, when it does emerge, it can emerge in odd ways. And I'll confess while I was writing this that it was during the presidential campaign, so sort of the fear of female ambition was very much on my mind.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I was wondering, actually, when this was written because the talking about menstruation - I mean, I'm reminded of the moment when then-candidate Trump²⁴ said about Megyn Kelly, you know, blood coming out of her eyes or whatever, this idea of women's bodies and how they're used in public discourse²⁵.

ABBOTT: Right. And that moment - it worked both ways, right? It both thought - it was incredible that he was saying this to so many of us. But it was also incredible how shocked everyone was, which I think speaks to the idea that women's bodies and their natural functions are still very stigmatized. There - you know, people don't want to talk about periods, you know? Tampons. When you buy it at the drugstore, they double bag it so you won't be seen on the street with it.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: There's still shame attached to it...

ABBOTT: Yeah.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is it, though, that allows you to sort of subvert²² that idea and be like, you know, women can be rivals and still not have catfights?

ABBOTT: Right. Yeah, because that's always the sort of - the version you don't want to do when you're writing this. You want to indulge in this stereotype¹⁸. But I do, you know, in Kit and Diane's relationship in particular - it's very complicated. And I don't think it ever lands in one court or another. There's an emotional connection they feel in part because they do fire the other one up and hang, you know? And Kit owes Diane a lot for, you know, sort of encouraging her and getting her to sort of embrace her brain so to speak. So I think, you know, the way to avoid the stereotype is just to really go in deep and acknowledge that there's lots of murky²⁶ stuff there and lots of wonderful stuff, too.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yeah. But I guess one of the things that it does acknowledge is that there are only a few spots for women because most of those spots are filled by men.

ABBOTT: Yes. And that - I mean, we - there are so many workplaces and fields that that's still the case. And when - in all the research I did in the sciences, it was quite extreme. And so there is that notion. But I think women feel in many professions that, you know, there's that one spot. And if a woman gets it, then that's it. There's no place for you, you know? And I think, you know, when those are the stakes, things are going to get a little ugly.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Female killers are having a cultural moment. Is there something about female anger and the #MeToo movement that has given us things like, you know, these two brilliant TV series that are out now - "Killing²⁷ Eve" and "Sharp Objects"? And now, two of your own novels, this one and "Dare Me" have been optioned for television, as well.

ABBOTT: Yes, I do think so. I mean, I think it was always there, you know? It was bubbling just barely beneath the surface the last many years, I mean, last centuries, one could say. But I've just found a lot of the books coming out now, for instance - or the things that are being made now that were written years ago are because of not just the #MeToo movement but the campaign and the election and sort of all - these are gender²⁸ wars that sort of came to the surface, you know? It's sort of like the return of the repressed. And, now, we're sort of seeing the fruits of it everywhere, culturally.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I am curious, you know? You've written for TV a lot on David Simon's "The Deuce," and I believe you're writing your own pilot, right?

ABBOTT: Yes.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So can you talk a little bit about the writers' rooms you've been in and the conversations you've had as the #MeToo movement has developed? Do you see anything really changing and moving in Hollywood?

ABBOTT: I think there is a great desire for change. And I do see that, you know, when I was working on "The Deuce," you know? The - you know, in the past, they had been primarily all men in the writers' room, and this time, there were three women. And, of course, it changed the conversation. And I think that - I have noticed there is, you know, more conscious of it. The pilot I'm working on for "Dare Me" - we have a female director, a female DP, two female writers that wrote the pilot, you know? So I do think that before, you may have had to justify²⁹ that and make the case. But I think, at least in this moment, you don't have to make that case anymore. It's clear.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yeah. You're saying at least in this moment. That, to me, sounds like there's a little bit of skepticism about the longevity³⁰ of this moment.

ABBOTT: Well, you do worry about backlash. And, you know, I mean, that's - I guess we're just so - I mean, as women, we've sort of seen these windows before. And then, we've seen them, you know, close on our fingers (laughter). So I think this time, there - a lot more of us are - you know, have wedged our bodies underneath³¹ that window so to speak to make sure it doesn't close again and many men, too.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Suspense³² writer Megan Abbott. Her latest book is "Give Me Your Hand." Thank you very much.

ABBOTT: Thank you.

1 corpses   

n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

2 appendages   

n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 )；依附的人；附属器官；附属肢体（如臂、腿、尾等）

参考例句：

• The 11th segment carries a pair of segmented appendages, the cerci. 第十一节有一对分节的附肢，即尾须。 来自辞典例句
• Paired appendages, with one on each side of the body, are common in many animals. 很多动物身上有成对的附肢，一侧一个，这是很普遍的现象。 来自辞典例句

3 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

4 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。

5 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

6 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

8 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

9 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

10 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

11 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

12 stigmatized   

v.使受耻辱，指责，污辱( stigmatize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was stigmatized as an ex-convict. 他遭人污辱，说他给判过刑。 来自辞典例句
• Such a view has been stigmatized as mechanical jurisprudence. 蔑称这种观点为机械法学。 来自辞典例句

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 wreak   

v.发泄；报复

参考例句：

• She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
• Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。

15 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

16 muses   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe. 欧洲那种御用的诗才，我们已经听够了。 来自辞典例句
• Shiki muses that this is, at least, probably the right atmosphere. 志贵觉得这至少是正确的气氛。 来自互联网

17 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

18 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

19 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

21 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

22 subvert   

v.推翻；暗中破坏；搅乱

参考例句：

• The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government.反叛军队企图颠覆政府统治。
• They tried to subvert our state and our Party. This is the crux of the matter.他们是要颠覆我们的国家，颠覆我们的党，这是问题的实质。

23 subverted   

v.颠覆，破坏（政治制度、宗教信仰等）( subvert的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某人）道德败坏或不忠

参考例句：

• Their wills could be subverted only by death. 只有死神才能使他们放弃他们的意志。 来自教父部分
• Indiana State laws deliberately subverted the intent of the constitutions 14th Amendment. 印第安纳州的法律有意歪曲联邦宪法第十四条修正案的愿意。 来自辞典例句

24 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

25 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

26 murky   

adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗

参考例句：

• She threw it into the river's murky depths.她把它扔进了混浊的河水深处。
• She had a decidedly murky past.她的历史背景令人捉摸不透。

27 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

28 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

29 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

30 longevity   

n.长命；长寿

参考例句：

• Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。
• Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。

31 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

32 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。