Alcohol

The consumption of alcohol is featured prominently in the story. Alcohol is portrayed as suave, elegant and sophisticated, an aura it exudes well into the 1960s. Consuming a glass or two of wine with dinner is a European habit, but the Bournes carry it to an extreme. The idyllic honeymoon begins to unravel when David takes his first brandy and water while Catherine is getting her hair cut. The couple celebrates romantic dinners with bottles of Tavel wine. When the writing is going well, David celebrates with brandy and Perrier. When it is going poorly, he downs whiskey and Perrier. They consume deadly absinthe frequently. Alcohol is used to convey a sense of well-being as well as tension and pain. Eventually, as the trio deteriorates, David is consuming alcohol with, before or instead of breakfast. Yet David, typical of his generation, never considers that alcohol may be...