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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Prison of Poverty
Both Millie and Nina’s lives are shaped by their vulnerable socioeconomic backgrounds. Their impoverished circumstances make them easy targets for Andrew’s manipulation and abuse, creating a dynamic where their financial struggles lead to literal and figurative imprisonment. For Millie, poverty takes away her choices, even after she gets out of prison; it forces her to take a job she would rather avoid, feeling figuratively imprisoned under Nina’s control. When Andrew locks her in the attic, this physical imprisonment becomes the culmination of the many ways Millie has been trapped by her circumstances.
Nina also faces the metaphorical prison of poverty, which pushes her to marry Andrew. As a struggling single mother, her financial vulnerability traps her in a marriage with Andrew, and his wealth and control create a situation where she has no choice but to stay with him. Andrew’s manipulation and power dynamics evolve into literal imprisonment, as he locks Nina in the attic and later confines her behind a locked door in a psychiatric hospital. Through both women, the novel highlights how poverty can lead to a life of constant subjugation, leaving them powerless to escape. Ultimately, the text shows how economic vulnerability strips individuals of their agency.
The Power of Psychological Control
The novel explores how psychological torment can be far more devastating than physical violence. Both Nina and Millie experience brutal, systematic abuse at the hands of Andrew, but his methods are primarily psychological rather than physical. Andrew rarely relies on brute force to control or harm them. Instead, he manipulates and terrorizes them through fear, shifting expectations, and psychological games. For instance, Andrew’s punishments involve degrading tasks like forcing Millie to balance books on her stomach or making Nina pull out strands of her own hair. These actions are painful but, more importantly, humiliating and deeply dehumanizing.
What makes Andrew’s psychological abuse particularly devastating is the constant shifting of the goalposts. Both Millie and Nina are made to feel powerless because Andrew never allows them to succeed or avoid punishment. Even when they fulfill his demands, he changes the requirements to show that he still has control. This psychological manipulation keeps them in a state of fear and helplessness, eroding their sense of self and agency. The novel ultimately suggests that the damage caused by emotional and mental abuse is more insidious, stripping victims of their will and making them doubt their reality.
The Limits of Perspective
The novel emphasizes the limits of perspective, particularly through the evolving relationship between Millie and Nina. Throughout the story, Millie’s understanding of Nina is restricted by her initial judgments and assumptions. At first, she views Nina as spoiled and entitled, and she is quick to criticize her for not working and for relying on help, and for what Millie perceives as superficial aspects of her life—her white clothes, her weight, and her dark roots. As Millie’s resentment grows, she comes to see Nina as the villain of her story, manipulating and tormenting her for no apparent reason. Nina’s unpredictable behavior reinforces Millie’s belief that she is irrational, spoiled, and “crazy.”
However, when the narrative shifts to Nina’s point of view, these initial judgments are subverted. Nina’s white clothes, weight gain, and erratic behavior are all contextualized by the abuse she has suffered at Andrew’s hands. Far from being a spoiled villain, Nina is revealed as a victim, trapped in a controlling and abusive marriage. The text highlights how Millie’s initial assumptions and lack of understanding prevented her from seeing the full truth. Nina also has a limited perspective of Millie; she knows Millie went to prison for murder and has a long history of violence, but doesn’t know that Millie committed violence to protect herself and others from abuse. By showing both characters’ limited perspectives and how they shift over time, the novel demonstrates how easy it is to misinterpret others when the full context is unknown.
