In her work "Zelda," Nancy Milford explores the relationship between artists and their creations, highlighting the deeply emotional and financial investments they make. Artists often feel the need to reclaim from life what they have poured into their art, whether it's joy, pain, or resources. This emotional trade can sometimes feel like usury, where the artist is left with an unbalanced return on their efforts.

Milford's perspective portrays artists as materialists in a unique way, suggesting they navigate life as they seek to recoup their sacrifices. This approach emphasizes the duality of creation, where artists face the challenge of reaping rewards for their emotional expenditures, revealing the struggle between personal investment and external recognition in the artistic journey.