Theme Analysis: Marriage and Betrayal
What This Theme Explores: Rock Paper Scissors delves into the multifaceted nature of marriage and betrayal, extending beyond mere infidelity to examine the insidious erosion of trust and the burden of unspoken secrets. It portrays marriage as a fragile construct, susceptible to the corrosive effects of emotional neglect, broken promises, and hidden pasts. The novel suggests that a marriage's strength lies in the truths it is built upon, and that even small cracks of betrayal can lead to catastrophic collapse.
The Erosion of Trust
The theme of Marriage and Betrayal evolves throughout the narrative, progressing from subtle marital discord to shocking revelations of treachery. The story's structure, alternating between the present-day trip and past anniversary letters, allows the theme to build layer by layer, revealing the slow decay of Adam and Amelia Wright's relationship.
Initially, the marriage is presented as fractured, with their trip framed as a "last chance" to salvage what remains. Their interactions are marked by bickering, resentment, and passive aggression, establishing a baseline of mutual distrust. For example, Amelia's act of hiding Adam's phone, while seemingly minor, symbolizes a deeper desire for control and a willingness to manipulate the situation to force a connection.
As the story progresses, the anniversary letters reveal deeper emotional betrayals. The "Linen" letter, for instance, recounts Adam's absence during their IVF struggles, highlighting his prioritization of work over Amelia's emotional needs. The introduction of Robin and the revelation of her past marriage to Adam further complicate the narrative, introducing the theme of infidelity and the devastating consequences of broken vows. The oppressive setting of the converted chapel, with its locked doors and hidden rooms, mirrors the suffocating nature of their secrets and the inescapable ghosts of the past.
The theme culminates in a series of devastating revelations. The "Tin" letter confirms Adam's betrayal of Robin with Amelia, exposing the origins of their relationship as an affair built on deceit. Robin's final letter unveils Amelia's ultimate betrayal: her hidden identity and her role in the death of Adam's Mother. The final twist reveals Adam's own lifelong betrayal of the truth about his mother's death, showing him to be the original perpetrator of deceit.
Key Examples of Betrayal
Specific moments and passages starkly illustrate the decay of marital trust and the consequences of betrayal.
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The Opening Scene: Amelia's internal monologue sets the stage for a marriage defined by distance and resentment. Her observation that Adam makes her feel "invisible" goes beyond his face blindness, pointing to a deep emotional neglect.
We still finish each other’s sentences but these days we get them wrong.
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The Anniversary Letters: These letters serve as a chronicle of betrayal, revealing the hidden truths, resentments, and sorrows that are omitted from the shared story. The "Linen" letter is a heartbreaking account of Adam prioritizing a work meeting over supporting Amelia at a critical fertility appointment, a profound emotional betrayal. Conversely, the "Tin" letter reveals the origin of Adam and Amelia's relationship—an affair that betrayed Adam's marriage to Robin.
You were still in bed. With my friend from work. She’d called in sick that morning. Now I knew why.
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Mutual Deception: The conflict over Adam's phone is a microcosm of their marriage. Amelia hides it to force a connection, a betrayal of his trust. Adam, in turn, lies about having a second phone, a betrayal of her attempt at honesty. This small cycle of deceit reflects the larger, more destructive secrets they both keep.
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The Final Revelations: The climax is built on layers of betrayal. Robin's letter to Adam exposes Amelia's entire life as a lie, a betrayal of the very foundation of their marriage. The final pages reveal Adam's ultimate secret—he was driving the car that killed his mother. This is a betrayal of Robin, Amelia, and himself, as his entire adult life has been shaped by this hidden truth.
Characters as Perpetrators and Victims
Each central character is both a victim and a perpetrator of betrayal, creating a complex web of moral ambiguity.
Adam is central to the theme, betraying both of his wives. He betrays Robin by having an affair with Amelia, destroying their ten-year marriage. He betrays Amelia through his workaholism and emotional distance, making her feel "unlikable, and unloved, and invisible." His greatest betrayal, however, is the lie he has lived his entire life about his mother's death, a secret that has shaped his entire adult life.
Amelia's entire existence in the narrative is a betrayal. She builds a relationship and marriage with Adam based on a false identity, hiding her connection to the most traumatic event of his life. Her manipulation is a complete violation of the trust inherent in a marriage, turning their relationship into a carefully constructed facade.
Initially presented as the primary victim of Adam's betrayal, Robin transforms into an agent of betrayal herself. She meticulously orchestrates the weekend in Scotland, luring Adam and Amelia into a trap under false pretenses. Her quest for revenge is a betrayal of their safety and sanity, proving that being a victim does not preclude one from becoming a victimizer.
Symbolic Representations
Feeney employs powerful symbols to represent the fractured state of marriage and the pervasive nature of betrayal.
The Converted Chapel: A building meant for faith and sanctuary has become an isolated, decaying prison. Its locked doors, frozen pipes, and secret rooms symbolize the state of Adam's marriages—institutions that should be sacred but are instead filled with secrets, decay, and the inescapable ghosts of the past.
The Anniversary Letters: These letters symbolize the official narrative of a marriage, but their secret nature is a form of betrayal. They contain the hidden truths, resentments, and sorrows that are omitted from the shared story, representing the vast gap between a marriage's appearance and its reality.
The Game of Rock, Paper, Scissors: The game is a recurring motif for the power dynamics, choices, and gambles within a marriage. Adam always letting Robin win is a seemingly kind gesture that is also a betrayal of the game's fairness, foreshadowing how their relationship is not built on equal footing. Robin uses the game's structure in her final letter to frame Adam's impossible choice, turning a childish game into a tool of life-or-death manipulation.
The Sapphire Ring: As a family heirloom, the ring symbolizes commitment and legacy. Its transfer from Robin's finger to Amelia's symbolizes the betrayal of one marriage for another. That it becomes stuck on Amelia's finger in death serves as a grim metaphor for the inescapable consequences of their collective betrayals.
Through the theme of Marriage and Betrayal, Alice Feeney suggests that relationships are fragile ecosystems, vulnerable to the poison of secrets and lies. She posits that major betrayals like infidelity are often preceded by a thousand smaller emotional cuts—neglect, broken promises, and a failure to truly see one's partner. The novel serves as a dark cautionary tale, arguing that the roles of victim and perpetrator are rarely clear-cut and that profound betrayal can transform a person into the very thing they despise. Ultimately, Feeney's message is that the most corrosive betrayals are the ones rooted in the past, and that a marriage built on a foundation of lies is not a home, but a trap waiting to be sprung.
The theme of Marriage and Betrayal in Rock Paper Scissors resonates deeply in a contemporary context where the lines between public personas and private realities are increasingly blurred. In an era of social media, where couples often present a curated version of their happiness, the novel's dive into the dark, messy truth behind closed doors is particularly potent. It taps into modern anxieties about trust, deception, and the fear that we may not truly know the person we share our life with. The novel's exploration of how past trauma and secrets can resurface to destroy the present is a timeless fear, making this a chilling and relevant commentary on the complexities and potential horrors of long-term partnership.