Diavola

Throughout the novel, women (namely, Anna and Caterina) face mistrust and suspicion when they display agency and desire. While Caterina’s malevolence might seem to justify this suspicion, the novel ultimately challenges the misogyny that underpins it.

Anna’s treatment by other characters establishes the theme. Anna’s family persistently mocks and shames her for what they perceive as inappropriate displays of sexuality. The family clings to events that occurred years earlier, such as when Anna slept with a local bartender during a previous family vacation or supposedly stole Nicole’s prom date when they were teenagers. These stories are exaggerated and evoke an image of Anna as sexually rapacious, whereas in reality, she simply declines to participate in socially normative activities such as marrying and having children. Likewise, Anna’s former boyfriend, Josh, reacts with horror when he learns that Anna chose to terminate a pregnancy. This latter example is particularly telling because it clarifies the relationship between Anna’s sexual liberation and her broader independence; Josh is upset not merely that Anna terminated the pregnancy but also that she did so without consulting him first.

That no one around Anna celebrates her ability to make choices based on her own values gradually erodes her self-esteem and makes her doubt herself.