Triptych

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2006

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Childhood Innocence

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, child death, child sexual abuse, and physical abuse.

In many scenes in the novel, Slaughter strategically juxtaposes graphic violence with the presence of childhood innocence. For example, the first child introduced in the novel is Michael’s son, Tim, who has an intellectual disability and maintains a childlike perspective on the world. Notably, Michael laments that Tim will spend his entire life in a state of suspended innocence, unable to progress or experience the full nuances of adult life. While this sentiment might appear heartfelt on the surface, it gains a more sinister cast with the introduction of Cynthia, the other child in Michael’s daily life, whom he has coerced into engaging in “adult life” far too soon. Michael’s sexual exploitation of his 15-year-old neighbor stands as the epitome of destroying a child’s innocence, and even in moments that reveal the full extent of Michael’s depravity in this regard, Slaughter inserts key images of innocence to emphasize all that his been lost. A prime example occurs when Michael confronts Cynthia’s dead body and reflects that he just bought her a stuffed animal. This innocent gift stands in stark contrast with the dire circumstances of her death and the mutilation of her missing tongue.

Even among adults, the theme of childhood innocence—and its loss—takes center stage in the narrative. Will and Angie often reflect on their shared childhood experiences and the bonds that they have developed as a result. Both characters have survived considerable abuse and neglect; when they first met at the state home that was essentially an orphanage, Angie was very cynical, while Will was hopeful that he would be adopted. Their adult relationship is also complicated by these dynamics, and they sometimes behave like siblings and sometimes like lovers—a juxtaposition that once again reflects their own lost innocence.

Triptych

The term “triptych” has multiple definitions, depending on the context. It is variably defined as a work of art that consists of three hinged panels or, more broadly, as a set of three works of art that are meant to be considered in tandem. Aside from the novel’s title, the term is only explicitly mentioned once—during a scene in which Will examines a piece of art that Angie has in her home. He notes,

[The painting] was a triptych, three canvases hinged together to make one image when it was open, another image when it was closed. He had always assumed she liked the duality of the piece. It was just like Angie, one thing inside, another out. Just like Michael Ormewood, come to think of it. What a perfect pair (290).

Thus, Angie’s triptych is used as a mental springboard that allows Will to engage in a deeper study of her inner qualities and those of Michael as well. By portraying both characters as complex, hard-to-read individuals who present different aspects of themselves on different occasions, Slaughter explores the “duality” of the novel’s main players, further emphasizing The Tension Between Outward Appearances and Hidden Realities.

Will’s contemplation of the literal triptych also acts as a conceptual primer to indicate that meaningful sets of three recur in various forms throughout the novel’s structure. Most notably, the triptych comes to represent something capacious that can encompass multiple identities, and the metaphorical triad of Will, Michael, and John provides a prime example of this idea. All three men find themselves deeply burdened by The Long-Term Impact of Trauma, and they all respond in unique ways. Will rises above his past and builds a full life for himself, while Michael sinks into the depths of his own depravity. John, on the other hand, lies somewhere between the two; morally gray in many ways, he has seen much of his life ruined by Michael’s violence, and he emerges into the broader world tainted by his past but resolute in his need to find justice.

Other triads can be found by grouping other characters thematically; for example, Jasmine, Angie, and Joyce each act as sister figures who try to take care of Cecil, Will, and John, respectively, but these relationships are always impacted by the complex resonances of shared trauma. Similarly, Emily, Lydia, and Miriam (Aleesha’s mother) all find ways to advocate for and protect their children, but they all ultimately fail, and the underlying ethics of their different approaches also delivers a deeper commentary on the ways in which parenting can affect the lives of grown children.

Surveillance

The motif of surveillance is developed both through characters who break the law and those who uphold it, but nowhere is this pattern more prominent than in Michael’s approach to his adult life. He harbors a deep obsession with watching others and mimicking their behaviors to fit in, and he is also keenly aware of how he is perceived. His surveillance is at once instinctive and predatory—a form of camouflage that allows him to blend into his social landscape so that he can more easily exploit those he identifies as targets. Michael is a dangerous predator who thrives on people’s vulnerability, and the more he watches them, the more easily he can manipulate them.

By contrast, John’s own relationship with the concept of surveillance is far more nuanced, as his time in prison puts him on the powerless side of this particular equation. Because he is used to the constant vigilance of the prison guards and has endured many vicious attacks from his fellow inmates, he always feels like someone is watching him and preparing to attack. As he reenters civilization, he is conscious that someone is always watching, whether he is cognizant of it or not.

However, once John starts tailing Michael, he gains a sense of power in the act of watching Michael’s illicit activities from unseen vantage points, thereby becoming something of a predator himself and taking back his sense of agency.

Even Will develops a complex attitude toward the omnipresent factor of surveillance; as a law enforcement officer, he is fully aware that his peers are constantly assessing him, and this knowledge deeply affects his movements and behavior at work. Specifically, Will works hard to hide his dyslexia and finds surreptitious ways to accommodate his challenges, hoping in vain that his quirks will go unseen. Ultimately, all three men remain hyperaware of their outward demeanor and the opinions and judgments of others, and they carefully school their actions to project a specific persona in hopes that their chosen façade will keep them safe.