Just like our favorite episodes of Gossip Girl, the story Zola weaves in Thérèse Raquin is one complex web of lies and secrets. In the beginning of the novel, Thérèse hides behind a mask of calmness to keep her hubby and her aunt from seeing her true nature. Later on, the adulterous affair between Thérèse and Laurent and the murder of Camille all involve copious amounts of lying and deception (or what the narrator often refers to as "play-acting"). And of course, there's a heavy dose of self-deception in the second half of the book. After all, Thérèse and Laurent must find some way of coping with life after Camille's murder. And that way is lying to themselves… and then committing suicide. Eep.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- Does Thérèse enjoy lying? What makes her so good at deceiving others?
- How do Laurent and Thérèse keep the others from suspecting that Camille's death was a murder?
- Why does Thérèse deceive herself into thinking that Mme Raquin has forgiven her?
- Toward the end of the novel, Laurent and Thérèse turn against each other. Why do they go to such great lengths to lie to each other? Are they also lying to themselves? If so, what lies do they tell themselves?
Chew on This
Once you start lying about something, you just can't stop.
Thérèse and Laurent are expert liars—they deceive themselves almost as well as they deceive other people.