Kiss the Girls

The motif of twinning supports the theme of Toxic Masculinity Versus Positive Masculinity. Cross explains the motif as an “urge to bond, usually between two lonely people. Once they ‘twin,’ the two become a ‘whole’; they become dependent on each other, often obsessively so. Sometimes the ‘twins’ become highly competitive” (412-13). This motif appears in two key relationships: Casanova and Rudolph’s toxic partnership, and the psychological rivalry between Casanova and Cross. As Rudolph and Casanova are twins, their “bond” reinforces their viciousness. What makes them “whole” is their shared desire to assault and kill women. If they stop, then they become fragmented and “lonely” again. As Casanova is the “dominant” twin, Rudolph feels the pressure to keep up with him, screaming, “Goddamn you, Casanova! Kiss the girls! Kiss the fucking girls yourself from now on!” (430). Rudolph can’t quit, because he doesn’t want to let down his superior other half.

For Cross and Casanova, twinning functions differently. While Cross presents twinning as a dynamic between Rudolph and Casanova, the motif works for him and the killers. They bond with Cross by terrorizing the women, and they compete with him by figuring out ways to outsmart and mislead him. The relationship between Cross and the killers weakens his positive masculinity, causing him to act like a hunter. Cross concedes the harmful impact of the indirect twinning, “I had begun to think like the monsters” (732). Casanova’s dominance over Rudolph mirrors his indirect control over Cross, compelling both men into a dance of competition, obsession, and pursuit.

The motif of twinning also relates to queer theory. The point of a queer theory reading isn’t to make Casanova or Rudolph gay but to reveal the complexities of their sexual desires. A queer reading argues that their main goal is to be with each other, and they form their union through the women, who become the catalyst for their intimacy. Casanova thinks, “Rudolph understood him as no one else ever had” (580). The killers have a closeness that’s difficult to define—the original meaning of “queer.” This interpretation aligns with Casanova’s broader psychology: He doesn’t just seek power over women, but over his chosen counterpart. His twinning with Rudolph offers companionship through violence, while his twinning with Cross offers a different, more cerebral form of domination—forcing Cross to play his game.

The motif of music supports the theme of The Lurid Culture of Trauma in the US. The story features several bands and singers. In Chapter 6, Casanova hears the Smashing Pumpkins as he walks across the Duke campus. Later, Kate hears White Zombie “blaring from the ice cream store” (128). In Rudolph’s penthouse, Cross hears the agonized voice of Pearl Jam’s lead singer, Eddie Vedder. Even Whitney Houston, who plays while Sampson and Cross interview Browning Lowell in the gym, links to trauma due to her history with spousal abuse and substance addiction. The music adds to the turbulent environment. The violent band names and distressed voices further Cross’s thesis that there’s an “endemic” of monsters in the US. The sounds and songs are monstrous too.

The motif explicitly supports the theme when Casanova and Rudolph blast Guns N’ Roses’s song “Welcome to the Jungle” as Cross and Sampson try to find them in the underground space. The song serves as a soundtrack for the mayhem and a symbol of the American experience. The US is a “jungle.” It’s a disorientating place populated by “white zombies” and “smashing pumpkins”—unsettling and frightening things, figures, ideas, and behaviors.

The motif of masks represents the duality of identity, the power of deception, and the hidden nature of evil. Casanova frequently wears masks when assaulting and murdering his victims, symbolizing how he sees himself as a figure beyond the ordinary—an artist of control and terror. His use of Venetian masks, particularly red ones, invokes an air of theatricality, reinforcing his belief that he is crafting an elaborate, aestheticized narrative of domination.

However, Casanova’s mask is not only physical but also metaphorical. His real disguise is his ability to blend seamlessly into society, taking on a respected role as a police officer. As Cross notes, “He is a monster. Only he’s created himself” (419), emphasizing that Casanova’s power stems from his ability to construct a persona that allows him to operate undetected. His deception extends beyond his crimes—he manipulates the very institutions designed to protect people, making his evil even more insidious.

The motif of masks also ties into the theme of Toxic Masculinity Versus Positive Masculinity. Casanova’s belief in his dominance and entitlement to power is fundamentally dishonest; he presents himself as a sophisticated and cultured man, but beneath the mask, he is driven by insecurity and fear of inadequacy. His need for control over women stems from this fear—he cannot handle a world in which he is not superior, so he creates one in which women are his captives. His mask is his delusion, and when it finally falls, so does his power.

Ultimately, the novel warns that the most dangerous men are often the ones who appear the most unremarkable. The concept of the “mask of sanity,” a term used in psychological studies of serial killers, is at play here—Casanova is not an irrational and erratic outsider lurking in the shadows but a trusted member of the community, hiding in plain sight. This motif adds to the novel’s suspense, as even the reader is kept in the dark about Casanova’s true identity until the very end.