In her rage, Alicia had let evil get the best of her. Nonetheless, Alicia dreadfully kills her husband and admits to this in her diary. In fact, her neighbor, Barbie, doubts that she was capable of killing anyone. Initially, the author describes Alicia as a timid character that is incapable of hurting anyone. In his inner battle between good and evil, the latter prevails.Īlicia’s conscience is also split in the divisive struggle between good and evil intentions.
When confronted by the inspector at his house, it is also evident that Theo is not remorseful for his actions. He attempts to kill Alicia and falsely blames Christian for it. From the final sections of the book, it is evident that Theo has become evil. This marks the beginning of his perverseness. Theo’s rage transforms him from a good husband to an insatiable psychopath who stalks his wife and threatens to kill her lover. He seeks revenge on the man that is having an affair with his wife. Theo must choose whether to confront his wife or ignore her promiscuity - and by choosing to ignore it, Theo becomes self-loathing and spiteful. Sadly, Kathy’s infidelity creates a wedge between them. Theo describes how his lovely wife had come into his life at a crucial time and transformed him into a loving husband. Through character assassination, the author describes how innocent characters struggle to remain good. I’d do anything to keep him-even pretend I’m crazy when I know I’m not” (Michaelides, 183). In her diary, she writes, “The thought of losing him, I couldn’t bear it. West’s treatment is working because she feared that, if it did not, Gabriel would drift away from her. I’d never meet anyone like her again, never have that same connection or experience that depth of feeling for another human being” (Michaelides, 85). Theo, for instance, fails to confront his wife about her affair because he is afraid that she will leave him, “Without Kathy, I’d return to that empty, solitary existence I had endured before. Having grown up with heartless fathers, both characters would rather cling on to the little love in their marriages than to abandon their partners.
Even though both their partners were promiscuous, the author outlines how both Alicia and Theo were afraid of being abandoned by them.
Sadly, this love is threatened by the betrayal of their partners. Theo was deeply in love with Kathy, while Alicia had fallen in love with Gabriel. The author highlights the theme of love in the novel through the marriages of the protagonist and the antagonist.
0 kommentar(er)
