Joe’s Infidelities

Joe’s infidelities symbolize Joe’s selfishness and fragile male ego. Throughout Joe’s life, he repeatedly has extramarital affairs, both during his first marriage and his second. Joan is aware that as a man, Joe feels empowered to do this due to society’s double standards involving men and women’s sex lives. Joe also seems to see these affairs as a source of comfort in the face of his deep personal insecurities.

The Helsinki Prize

The Helsinki Prize symbolizes Joan’s personal turning point in her unhealthy marriage to Joe. Joe’s literary success is entirely due to the fact that Joan, instead of pursuing her own literary ambitions, spent her time essentially writing Joe’s books for him. Joe’s ego grew along with his literary success. After he is named the recipient of the Helsinki Prize, Joan can no longer...