So after having explored the idea of first impressions, I decided to look at the unhealthy relationships between some of the characters. Starting with Elinor and a friend of her and Paul's named Kit Neville. Neville somehow thinks he is in love with Elinor and will do anything to get her to sleep with him. He's basically a cad. Elinor is beautiful and everyone around her is immediately attracted to her personality and good looks as soon as they see her. Neville is pompous and creepy. He takes every opportunity he can to touch her. "At the door Neville put is hand between her shoulder blades, guiding her." (Barker 23). He just wants to touch her, rather have a real relationship.
Another relationship that was extremely unhealthy is that of Paul and a model at his art school named Theresa. Theresa is married but separated and her husband stalks her and threatens her but she can't divorce him because she has to prove adultery and battery. So it's an unhealthy relationship within an unhealthy relationship. Theresa lies to Paul in order to have him stay over at night. She pretends to get threatening letters from her husband so he'll protect her. He finds this out...and still stays with her until she moves back to her hometown in northern England. He is devastated and depressed for some time afterwards.This novel says a lot about relationships. Pat Barker means to show us that "loving" someone for the wrong reasons as well as lying to somone you love always ends very badly. She also shows us some good can come from the damage, as Paul and Elinor's realtionship blossoms.
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2 comments:
This book seems quite interesting. I like how you chose to analyze the relationships. Many people just brush on that topic but many traits can be uncovered by analyzing the relationships. Great job!
This post really helps us see what makes relationships works and what causes them to fail. I think it is good how you point out that loving someone for the wrong reasons, and lying to someone, are things that will eventually cause a relationship to fail. This is something that we should keep in mind in our own lives.
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