53 pages • 1 hour read
A. R. TorreEvery Last Secret
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Ryders’ Home
The Ryders’ home represents Obsession with Wealth and Status, and the book repeatedly compares the Ryder and Winthorpe houses. Consider Neena’s comment, “I was overwhelmed by the discrepancies between us. Cat and me. William and Matt. Their gorgeous showcase mansion and our ugly foreclosure” (36). While Matt makes a good living, they can afford only a foreclosure in Cat and William’s neighborhood. A house can also be a symbol of a family or marital union. The word choices in Cat’s comment is telling: “A sociopathic blonde with boundary issues wasn’t going to bring down my house” (103). Cat’s entire mission in the book is to protect her relationship and her security with William, as represented by her home. Still, Neena says, “Being naked in Cat’s bed was a fantasy I was already entertaining” (89) because she equates being inside an intimate space—both the house and the Winthorpes’ bed—with her power to usurp Cat’s place. Cat, recognizing Neena’s aspirations, defends her home by defending her union with William. The pinnacle of Cat’s victory comes at the book’s end, when William and Cat purchase the Ryders’ old home and raze it. Cat literally brings down Neena’s home, instead of the other way around.
Wedding Rings
A wedding ring is a symbol of marriage and fidelity. In the context of the book, references to rings serve as a counterpoint to the book’s thematic argument regarding the complexities of marriage. On the surface, rings are simple: They are purchased and exchanged, and then there’s a marriage. However, the book makes it clear that the symbol isn’t so simple. Neena and Cat cling to their rings as if the rings protect their complicated marriages; as long as they have their rings, their status is unchanged. Neena, when being interrogated for Matt’s attempted murder, looks at her “wedding ring, still in place, the large diamond glittering from [her] hand like a spotlight” (2). Its presence comforts her and gives her confidence. Meanwhile, Cat uses her ring to assert her claim over William. In one chapter, she describes this moment with Neena: “I lifted my coffee to my lips, making sure to use the hand with the diamond, the huge stone impossible to miss. He’s mine” (129). In another moment, when Neena makes Cat insecure by referring to William as “Will,” Cat reassures herself thusly: “I touched the diamond, reassuring myself of its presence” (152). The rings also demonstrate their Obsession with Wealth and Status. Large diamonds visibly indicate a level of wealth and, thus, status. When William gives Cat a new ring, Neena is envious: “Jealousy twisted my gut, and I fought the urge to hide my own ring. It was barely two carats, a size I used to be joyous over—but it was starting to feel smaller and smaller with time” (180). Neena’s obsession with the trappings of wealth makes her dissatisfied with her own ring because it represents social status more than it represents her union with Matt.
Winthorpe Technologies
Winthorpe Technologies gains symbolic significance throughout the narrative. First, it becomes a symbol of deceit because it’s the site of William’s and Neena’s affair. It also represents William’s desire for success. In light of the pending FDA approval, William needs the outside world to perceive Winthorpe Technologies as strong and united. For this reason, William refuses to fire Neena because she works to improve employee morale. William prioritizes his company—the source of his status and wealth—above all else. He certainly cares about the company more than Neena, whom he is willing to fire once the FDA approval comes in. And he also seems to care about the company more than he cares about Cat since he’s unwilling to jeopardize the company’s public image to help his shaky marriage.
