Essay 1 – Adrian Mehran

In the novel *Fever Dream*, Samanta Schweblin vividly portrays Nina and Amanda’s
relationship as both tender and claustrophobic. Schweblin vividly explores maternal anxiety
through the constant fear of losing Nina, or Nina hurting herself, blending love and terror
into a singular obsessive instinct. Amanda’s relationship with her daughter reflects the
novel’s broader themes of helplessness and loss of control. Amanda’s relationship with Nina
is dominated by maternal anxiety and fear of loss, portrayed through obsessive imagery and
moments of emotional tenderness corrupted by horror.

First of all, Samanta Schweblin effectively uses Amanda’s rescue distance as a symbol of her
obsessive maternal anxiety. Amanda describes this rescue distance as a distance she
constantly calculates to ensure her daughter’s safety: “I call it the rescue distance. I calculate
it all day long.” Throughout the novel, at different scenes, the reader sees the character
going through this calculation, such as when her daughter Nina is running by the pool.
Amanda says at this time, “The rescue distance is shrinking.” Through this technique,
Schweblin links maternal love with the panic of maternal anxiety and dread.

Moreover, through the physical closeness between Amanda and Nina, the writer expresses
their love and vulnerability. Through the quote, “I carry Nina in my arms, her head on my
shoulder,” Schweblin uses physical imagery to convey affection but also Amanda’s
overwhelming need to protect. By this use of imagery, Schweblin reveals how maternal love
becomes a desperate attempt to prevent loss and injury of Nina in this daughter-mother
relationship.

Finally, Schweblin uses a key scene to show Amanda fearing Nina is no longer her daughter.
She shows Nina staring into her mother’s soul and saying, “This is all a test, Amanda, my
name is not Nina.” Amanda suddenly wakes up gasping for air and realises this was a dream.
Maternal anxiety culminates in Amanda’s inability to recognise her child. Schweblin
portrays motherhood through this scene as a terrifying struggle against inevitable
separation and transformation.

As a conclusion, through vivid imagery and Amanda’s psychological breakdown, Schweblin

vividly portrays maternal anxiety (through the rescue distance) as the core of Amanda’s
relationship with her daughter. The result is an unsettling portrait of a mother fighting
against both external threat and her deepest fears, to protect her daughter and her
relationship with her.

Essay 2 – Adelina
In *Fever Dream*, Amanda and Nina have a very close and genuine relationship which
symbolizes motherhood and the complexity of it. In the novel, Schweblin vividly portrays
their relationship through the idea of rescue distance which is represented by Amanda’s
maternal anxiety, her over-controlling behaviour towards her daughter and the idea of a
“rope” bonding Amanda and her daughter Nina together.

Throughout the novel, Amanda’s maternal anxiety plays a huge role in her decision making
and is in fact hugely impacting her thought process. Her constant need to measure the
rescue distance to prevent any possible danger from Nina symbolises her inner chaos and
worries and dramatically increases the tension in the novel. Maternal anxiety being
“something she inherited from her mom” (p. 35-36) creates an even bigger feeling of fear
and makes its symbolism even more powerful, as this belief is literally transferred to her
through her family members: “…sooner or later something terrible will happen. My
grandmother used to tell my mother that, and my mother would tell me” (p. 104).
Therefore, the representation of maternal anxiety helps to understand Amanda’s need to
always prevent her daughter from danger, and thus powerfully portrays their relationship.

Schweblin uses the protagonist’s over-controlling behaviour towards Nina to increase the
dreadfulness in the novel. Amanda’s belief that if she isn’t close to her daughter, something
terrible might happen to her is portrayed through the use of imagery and dialogue, where
Amanda (as an unreliable narrator) describes her somewhat reckless ideas about what she
could do to save Nina, like running to the second floor of her house in just a few steps or
almost jumping to the window to make sure her child is alright. This creates a creepy and
eerie atmosphere in the novel and makes the reader fairly uncomfortable: “I have to take
care of Nina!”

Lastly, Amanda’s idea of a “rope” portrays how indeed attached she and her daughter are
and how important it is for her to always remain like that. The rope is in fact not real, which
symbolises Amanda’s obsession over the measurement of danger that Nina might face—
something she might not always have control of—and this represents the idea of inevitable
danger and constant fear which are felt throughout the whole novelette. Once the rope gets
tighter, Amanda’s anxiety and dread grow, creating more tension in the novel and making
the plot heavier: “There’s almost no rescue distance, the rope is so short that I can barely
move in the room.”

These elements of the story form the idea of rescue distance and haunt the main protagonist
throughout the book. In conclusion, the idea of rescue distance, which is represented
through Amanda’s over-controlling maternal anxiety and her imaginative “rope” which
attaches her and Nina together, vividly portray Amanda and Nina’s relationship in *Fever
Dream*.

Essay 3 – Unnamed
**Essay Prompt:** Explore the ways in which Schweblin vividly portrays the relationship
between Amanda and Nina.
In *Fever Dream*, Samanta Schweblin explores the emotional depths of multiple
relationships, focusing particularly on maternity and motherhood, with the most significant
relationship being Amanda and Nina’s. The author vividly portrays their relationship by
using metaphors, symbolism, dialogue, silence, structure and by exploring themes of
maternal anxiety. Her use of literary devices and narrative structure evokes in the reader a
sense of desperation and fear.

The first way Schweblin portrays Amanda and Nina’s relationship is through symbolism.
Amanda is seen to have a protective obsession with her daughter, with a constant need to
be close to her, in case of a need for rescue. The danger is represented through different
quotes, “The worms I need to know how far” (p. 2). In this quote the worms represent
infection, death and decay, a growing concern for Amanda and a cause for her maternal
anxiety. The phrase “how far” characterises the rescue distance, and the author uses this as
a recurring theme, representing Amanda’s paranoia and attachment to her daughter.

This relationship, built on anxiety and attachment, is also seen through the author’s use of
direct speech. Amanda abruptly interrupts the conversation with questions: “Where is
Nina? Is she okay?” (p. 32). This repetition of questions adds tension to the narrative flow,
making the reader feel uneasy and anxious. Amanda’s urgent tone reflects her maternal
anxiety. This structural interruption evokes a sense of panic, making us also be on our toes
and suspicious of danger.

Furthermore, the author vividly represents Amanda and Nina’s relationship through the use
of minimalism and emotional detachment. Nina is a distant figure yet her significance is
apparent to Amanda: “Nina doesn’t speak” (p. 12), representing the physical and
psychological distance between the pair. While the mother can’t stand Nina’s lack of verbal
connection, it heightens Amanda’s desperation, emphasising the ultimate loss of control she
possesses. This further highlights the theme of maternal anxiety and the desperate rescue
distance. This quote additionally foreshadows—the failure of the rescue distance.

In conclusion, Schweblin represents and dramatizes Amanda and Nina’s relationship

through symbolism of danger, interrogative direct speech and structure, and emotional
minimalism, all contributing to the recurring themes of maternal anxiety and rescue
distance. This offers the reader a sense of anxiety reflected off Amanda and causes the
reader to empathise with her helplessness and desperation, further illuminating the
complexities of motherhood.