What does the unnamed city represent in the novel, Whereabouts?

Thematically, the city represents much of what the narrator struggles against in the novel. Namely, the city harbors many memories of growing up with her parents and the difficulties therein. In addition, the city with its many inhabitants represents a counterpoint to the narrator's desire for solitude. Throughout the year the city shifts from a bustling tourist destination to an almost empty shadow of itself, reflecting the struggle within the narrator between solitude and company.