In modern psychology, the “shadow" refers to the hidden or unexplored parts of ourselves. The shadow doesn’t necessarily represent negative aspects of our being, so much as parts of ourselves we’re reluctant to acknowledge or share. Shadow work, as it’s known, is the process by which we attempt to unify those conscious and unconscious parts of ourselves.
Psychologists say that by recognizing our shadow aspects and understanding where and when they appear, we can come to either accept or change these patterns in our lives. The goal? Better relationships with others and with ourselves.
It’s the first week of September and we’re hearing writing along the theme of shadow this month. Today, Jodeen Revere shares a story by Samantha Silva, titled “A Monster is Born." Silva is an author and screenwriter based in Idaho. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in The New York Times, One Story, and LitHub, and her third novel, Sometime This Century, was published by Harper Perennial in June 2026.
Something I Heard is supported by Idaho Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
