The History of Literature 725 The Trial by Franz Kafka (#21 GBOAT) | Edith Wharton and Patrick O'Brian (with Olivia Wolfgang-Smith) | An Uplifting Story
Aug 14, 2025
In this insightful discussion, novelist Olivia Wolfgang-Smith, author of 'Glassworks' and 'Mutual Interest,' shares her admiration for Edith Wharton and her enthusiasm for Patrick O'Brian’s naval novels. She dives into the themes of ambition and identity in her own work set in post-Gilded Age New York. The conversation also touches on Kafka's 'The Trial,' exploring its existential dread and absurdity. Moreover, Olivia emphasizes the evolving portrayals of queer identities and the significance of psychological connections in literature.
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False Accusation As Cultural Phobia
- Wilson links Kafka to Hitchcock's fear of false accusation and imprisonment.
- Cultural works repeatedly explore the terror of wrongful punishment because it exposes deep vulnerabilities about agency and state power.
Mutual Interest: A Queer Wharton Pastiche
- Olivia Wolfgang-Smith describes Mutual Interest as a queer Wharton pastiche set mostly between 1900–1915 in New York City.
- The central trio—Vivian, Oscar, and Squire—form a business and domestic partnership in the personal-care industry.
Turn-Of-Century New York Feels Modern
- Olivia chose the Progressive Era for its rapid social and technological change that mirrors today's upheavals.
- She uses the era's material culture and inventions (like the 1904 Subway) to enrich the narrative stakes.
