In the Lake of the Woods

Secrets and deceit drive much of the plot of this novel. For example, secrets and deceit lie at the heart of John and Kathy Wade’s relationship, with devastating consequences for them both.

Secrets, and the desire to keep them hidden, underpin much of John Wade’s behavior throughout the novel. His secrets include the mirrors in his head, Sorcerer, the horror of his tours in Vietnam, particularly his collusion in the Thuan Yen massacre. His secrets also include his habit of spying on Kathy, which he doesn’t realize she knows about. He suppresses everything that he wants to keep secret, hiding his memory loss and experience of lost time from everyone. He knows that the nature of his secrets and the way he copes with them mean that he is mentally ill, but he finds himself unable to ask for or get help.

Kathy has secrets of her own, including at least two affairs and her knowledge that John spies on her. Kathy’s biggest secret, however, is that she hates politics, though she allows her life to be shaped by John’s political career.

John and Kathy’s reactions to each other’s secrets are extremely telling. Kathy doesn’t want to know John’s secrets, while John is obsessed with Kathy’s and attempts to ferret all of them out. He is not very successful, however, for despite all of his spying he never learns that she hates politics or that she knew he was spying on her. In any case, Kathy’s refusal to learn or understand John’s secrets may have led to her death. Alternatively, she may have “won” the “game” of their marriage by pulling off a great escape.

The psychological outcome for secret-keepers seems somewhat dependent on whether the character trusts another person by confiding his or her secrets. For example, Kathy confides all of her secrets in her sister, Pat. Kathy’s secrets are only secrets from John. Therefore, she is less alone and isolated than he is.

John, however, never confides his secrets, and remains tortured by them. Though Kathy does figure out several of John’s secrets, such as his alter-ego, Sorcerer, and his spying, she never makes a serious effort to learn what else he is hiding from her. At one point, for example, Kathy says, “‘Except you wouldn’t ever tell, would you? I mean, if there were secrets, you wouldn’t ever let on’” (153-54). She knows that John is hiding something, despite his protestations to the contrary. Furthermore, when John tries to confess that there is something wrong with him, she ignores his plea for help and changes the subject, pretending that she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Manipulation and denial go both ways in their relationship. When Kathy tries to force the issue and discuss the war crime allegations made against John, John retorts that she has secrets of her own that she doesn’t want to talk about, meaning her affair with the dentist. He manipulates her guilt to get his way and keep his secrets. The game of secrets seems to keep them together, despite the fact that they don’t really know, or want to know, one another.

Ultimately for John, however, the exposure of the Thuan Yen massacre offers partial relief. He realizes that he no longer has to be afraid that it will be revealed. He needn’t be on guard; he can relax. All of his other secrets remain with him, however, and they lead him to his death.