51 pages • 1 hour read
Our Last Resort
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Important Quotes
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of emotional abuse, rape, sexual violence, physical abuse, mental illness, graphic violence, and death.
“My mind, always anxious. My whole world like a dollhouse. I know where everything is, how everything works, no surprises.”
(Chapter 1, Page 1)
Frida’s anxiety is a key aspect of her characterization and highlights The Persistence of Trauma. The clipped rhythm of these lines mirrors her over-alert mental state. She uses a simile to compare her world to a “dollhouse,” highlighting her desire for control as well as her dislike of “surprises.” These lines show that her inner world is carefully ordered but fragile.
“In the beginning, there was Émile.”
(Chapter 3, Page 14)
The biblical cadence of this line mimics Genesis, casting Émile in the role of a false deity. He was a self-styled genius and prophet, and he dictated every aspect of the cult members’ lives. Gabriel and Frida experienced the cult as childhood trauma and continue to struggle with the consequences of their upbringing for the entirety of their adult lives.
“Gabriel cracks open a bottle of water from the minibar. After a couple of gulps, he hands it to me. I could have my own, the minibar is complimentary. Anytime we step out, it refills by magic. But there are habits you can’t rewrite. We didn’t have enough to eat, for so many years, and so we live like this.”
(Chapter 6, Page 31)
