Greenwich Park

Content Warning: The source text depicts domestic violence, pregnancy loss, rape, and death by suicide, which this section of the guide discusses. 

“I find it difficult sometimes to believe I am really here. A danger, someone who is not to be trusted. But then, no one really thinks they are bad, do they? Whoever we are, whatever we’ve done. We all have our reasons, if anyone can be bothered to listen.”

This quote is from a letter from Daniel to Helen, written after the main events of the novel—specifically, after Daniel has been imprisoned for murder. However, the letter writer’s identity is not revealed at the time. This quote illustrates The Complexity of Identity because Daniel’s identity is kept secret, and because it raises questions about whether anyone is simply “good” or “bad” or whether morality is more complex than that.

“The girl who came in late appears at my side. She is holding two enormous glasses of what appears to be cold white wine, clouds of condensation on the side of the glass.

‘Do you want one? I thought you looked like you might need a real drink. One a day can’t hurt, surely.’

She holds out the glass in front of me. Her painted fingernails are short and chewed. She looks very young—perhaps she just has one of those faces. Round, dimpled, babyish. Yet when she smiles, there is something wolfish about it, her canine teeth protruding slightly, small but sharp.”

This quote describes when Helen first meets Rachel at prenatal class, and it develops the complexity of identity because Helen’s first impression of Rachel is almost wholly wrong. Part of this is due to intentional deception on Rachel’s part; for example, she’s not really pregnant. However, Helen’s faulty first impression of Rachel is also due to Helen’s own prejudices and misplaced detection of danger. There really is a dangerous “wolf” lurking, but Daniel is actually the one who identifies as a wolf and poses a threat to Helen’s life.