Despite the supposed ‘death of the author’ I cannot help but read her as a sort of ‘missing’ member of Di Yunge or Inzikh, and would read these as very autobiographical — the son, Na’aman, who she doesn’t get to be a mother to and the old man perhaps the shade of Chaim Zhitlowsky, with whom she has a relationship (working from Iceland’s memoir).
You're totally right about the autobiographical aspect. The ghost of Na'aman, and of the relationship with him, is all over this and I'm glad you point that out. And the Inzikh resonances, in particular, are really strong and helpful to me here.
Despite the supposed ‘death of the author’ I cannot help but read her as a sort of ‘missing’ member of Di Yunge or Inzikh, and would read these as very autobiographical — the son, Na’aman, who she doesn’t get to be a mother to and the old man perhaps the shade of Chaim Zhitlowsky, with whom she has a relationship (working from Iceland’s memoir).
You're totally right about the autobiographical aspect. The ghost of Na'aman, and of the relationship with him, is all over this and I'm glad you point that out. And the Inzikh resonances, in particular, are really strong and helpful to me here.