Liars: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses emotional abuse, mental illness, and gender discrimination.

Jane, the protagonist and narrator of Liars, is a complex and introspective character whose journey reflects themes of sacrifice, identity, and resilience. As a writer, wife, and mother, Jane’s life is marked by her struggle to balance her creative ambitions with the overwhelming demands of domestic life. Her character serves as a lens through which Manguso critiques societal expectations, particularly the ways women are pressured to prioritize familial roles over personal fulfillment.

Throughout the novel, Jane is portrayed as self-aware yet trapped by her circumstances. Her reflections reveal the sacrifices she makes, particularly in her marriage to John, where she shoulders the emotional and domestic labor while receiving little support in return. Her comment, “I was doing a great job making sure the child was connecting with his friends, John was doing a great job taking care of John, and I felt abandoned and taken for granted and ignored” (164), encapsulates the inequities in her relationships. This line illustrates the emotional toll of being unacknowledged and undervalued: Jane sees to the child’s emotional needs while John sees to his own, leaving no one to care for Jane’s needs.