Prologue: the Interview

At the beginning of The Nanny Diaries, Nanny (also called Nan) describes the interview process she goes through each time she applies for a nanny position in New York City. Nan notes that each mother's figure, hair, and clothing look the same. Each home is also strikingly similar. Nan exposits, "This is my first impression of the Apartment and it strikes me like a hotel suite—immaculate, but impersonal."

During the interview, Nan and the mother talk about why Nan is there, with the implication that she is a nanny for fun, not as a job. Nan presents herself the way the mother wants to see her: as a non-threatening, child-rearing savant. Next, the mother shows Nan around in a tour that emphasizes the importance of keeping the child from disturbing anything in the home. While the kitchen is huge and stocked with healthful child-friendly...