Summary

In "The Survival Hypothesis," Anja lies on the cushioned bench beneath a window in the apartment she used to share with Pieter. She thinks of Tenn’s play, Call it Joy, which Sandrino and Trevor “insist is a treasure – a ‘guaranteed classic’” though they have not read it (149). Anja disagrees: “a late work, completely in haste … while death looked over [Tenn’s] shoulder, that is no treasure” (150). Anja meets them every Monday at a wine bar nearby, where they continue to press her about the play. She wishes Sandrino would come alone, but he is in love with Trevor. She deflects most of their questions with abrupt answers, and reflects on them internally. In yet another attempt to access Tenn’s final work, Sandro suggests that they have a séance to contact Tenn and ask for permission to read his play. They will...