Desire

As implied by the novel's title, Want is primarily interested in exploring the propelling nature of desire. Written from Elizabeth's first person perspective, the narrative is driven by her perpetually amorphous and insatiable longings. Indeed, the author uses Elizabeth's inability to name, and therefore to satisfy her desires as an impetus for the narrative structure. Unable to locate or acknowledge the source of her constant restlessness, Elizabeth has trouble remaining present. Each scene or experience she describes abruptly ends, interrupted by another seemingly inconsequential account or thought. At the start of the novel, she says she is "not as good a teacher" as she wishes she were, because she is "inconsistent" and prone to distraction (13). The text itself enacts Elizabeth's inability to focus on any one thing at a time, jumping incessantly from one emotional, mental, or physical preoccupation to the next. So Elizabeth's unsettled nature...