My Love Has Dirty Fingernails

Updike, John

Primary Category: Literature / Fiction

Genre: Short Story

Annotated by:
Coulehan, Jack
  • Date of entry: Jul-11-1994

Summary

A woman enters the therapist's office, sits down, and begins a psychotherapy session. She reports her feelings about recently seeing a former lover. The therapist gives a lengthy, aggressive, and over-theoretical interpretation. The client is angry and unconvinced, yet they quietly make an appointment for next week's session.

Commentary

The story describes the uncertainties of psychotherapy and the power struggles that can occur between client and therapist. It conveys well the emotional atmosphere of analytic-oriented therapy.

Primary Source

Problems and Other Stories

Publisher

Knopf

Place Published

New York

Edition

1976