Dawn French has revealed the deeply personal motivation behind her latest novel, Enough, during an appearance on The One Show on Wednesday. The actress and author discussed how her own life experiences, including her father's death by suicide, gave her the courage to tackle such a sensitive subject.
A Story of Life and Loss
The book follows Etta, a 68-year-old woman who gathers her family on a beach at sunrise to announce that by sunset, she will no longer be alive. French explained that Etta believes she is sparing her loved ones from the painful final stages of life, viewing her decision as an act of selflessness. However, the narrative raises profound moral questions about choice, shame, and the nature of grief.
Personal Permission to Write
Speaking to hosts Angellica Bell and Clara Amfo, French shared that her father's suicide when she was 19 gave her a unique perspective. "I feel a little bit of permission to write this theme because I am a child of suicide myself," she said. "I have lived with the various stages of grief about that for my whole life." She emphasized that while Etta's story differs from her father's, both involve an individual electing to end their life, a topic historically shrouded in shame and illegality.
French declared her refusal to be ashamed of the subject, stating, "In tribute to my dad, really, I just refuse to have shame around this subject. I think it's a thing we need to talk about."
Age and Authenticity
French, now 68 herself, chose to make Etta the same age, partly out of convenience but also to explore the controversial notion that Etta may be too young to make such a final decision. "I know the music, I know the politics," she joked. "And partly because controversially, I think Etta is a bit young to be making this decision."
Writing with Joy and Humour
French explained that she set out to write a life-affirming book about end-of-life themes, deliberately infusing the story with joy and humour. "When I started to write this book, listen, I'm getting older and I'm deciding not to be afraid of big themes and big scary stuff because the way to deal with big scary stuff is to write it with joy and with humour," she said.
Interestingly, French revealed that she did not know the ending when she began writing. "I thought, 'I'll write the arguments of all the characters and see if I can persuade me, Dawn, the writer, and Etta, my main character, away from her decision'," she said. She hopes readers will find the book thought-provoking and ultimately life-affirming.
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The One Show airs weekdays at 7pm on BBC One.
