What Happened to Kathy Wade - 1424 Words

Tiffany Ong Mr. Frickleton ENG 3U1 May 22, 2007 Beneath the Waters There are many people in this world that can prove that our past experiences contribute to the shaping of our present day selves and lives. Whether our past contains hidden skeletons in our closets or not, we cannot keep it a secret nor can we run from it. But if we decide to do so the past will only come to haunt us. In the novel In The Lake of the Woods, we see that there is a fine line between love and insanity. And John Wade Ââ€"the antihero of the story- is drifting on the border line. One day, John awakens to find Kathy Wade, the love of his life and wife, gone without a trace along with the boat. Although author Tim OBrien presents us with many theories for her†¦show more content†¦Lastly, Johns imagination plays an important role because it contains some truth to it. In one of the chapters John describes Kathy peering at him from under the water with an alert expression in her eyes but is unable to speak. This is stated when the author says: Â… here in a corner of John Wades imagination, where things neither live nor die, Kathy stress up at him from beneath the surface of the silvered lake. Her eyes are brilliant green, her expression alert. She tries to speak but cant. (OBrien 288) This may represent her helplessness as she tries to struggle to save herself from him as well as implying that she is yet again underwater. It also represents all the things she hated about their marriage and election that she kept secret from John. Thus, Johns numerous references to beneath the water, imagination and Kathy peering up from below enforces the possibility the lake containing her body. Lastly, John gains a reputation of being a sorcerer by others through means of manipulation. As a child, Johns father often teased him about his fat and he was hurt by it. His childhood was difficult because he was very antisocial and always stood in front of his mirror perfecting his magic tricks. Anthony Carbo states, Â… show me a politician, Ill show you an unhappy childhood. Same for magicians (OBrien 29). John is both a magician and politicianShow MoreRelatedTim O’brien’s in the Lake of the Woods Literary Summary Essay906 Words   |  4 Pageswas evident in, In the Lake of the Woods. The main character, John Wade, believed he was a magician from early childhood and throughout his development into adulthood. He was the ultimate magician both personally and in his perception of his vocations of soldier and politician. Many points-of view were incorporated into the story. A continuous element throughout this story is the mystery of the narrator, the character of Kathy, and the evidence provided or presented as hypothesis by numerous charactersRead More Analysis of In the Lake of the Woods by Tim OBrien Essay1071 Words   |  5 Pageswritten by Tim OBrien. Through the book we learn that our lovers, husbands, and wives have qualities beyond what our eyes can see. John Wade and Kathy are in a marriage so obscure that their secrets lead to an emotional downfall. After John Wade loss in his Senatorial Campaign, his feeling towards Kathy take on a whole different outlook. His compulsive and obsessive behavior causes Kathy to distance herself from him. His war experience and emotional trauma are a major cause for his strange behaviorRead MoreThe Lake Of The Woods1432 Words   |  6 PagesO’Brien poured much of his own likeness into protagonist John Wade. Wade grew up in Minnesota and like O†™Brien, he served in Vietnam so he could maintain or get more love from his peers and family. Like O’Brien, he likely committed some wartime sins and like O’Brien, he cannot escape the past. 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