Representations of Extreme Weather and Climate Change in Ingrid Tørresvold’s "Hilsen Ruth"

Abstract

This article is devoted to the representation of extreme weather as a result of global warming in Ingrid Tørresvold’s Hilsen Ruth [Regards, Ruth]. Published in 2020, the novel imagines the effects of a severe heatwave over Norway, focusing on 39-year-old Ruth, who perceives the crisis as an opportunity to deal with personal problems. Considering the book as a realistic narrative of climate change, I examine the fictional representation of extreme weather as an impending risk and discuss the air conditioner as a symbol of anthropogenic global warming. I also discuss the affective dimension of the novel, drawing attention to the main character’s experience of the crisis caused by the unusual heat. Finally, my analysis seeks to show how Hilsen Ruth addresses climate change as a phenomenon intertwined with individual and cultural perceptions.