World Lit Essay on Therese Raquin

In direct contrast, Laurent and Therese's formation of an adulterous relationship is not subjected to obligation and sympathy. Laurent's motivation to establish a liaison with Therese is to utilize her. He is such a prudent and quick-witted man that he has already weighed both the pros and cons of forming such a liaison with Therese and definitely be an advantage to him. On the edge of bankruptcy and with "his flesh going hungry", he will certainly have nothing to lose to pick up Therese in order to satisfy his appetite as he assumes that he can discard her whenever he is sick of her. He is so self-centered and expedient that he visits the Raquin family after work because he "doesn't know where else to go", he "has not enough money to hang about in cafes" and he can "save the three sous on his rum and coffee". Therefore, he develops an affair with Therese though "he's not in the least in love with her". As for Therese, she is being crushed by Laurent and without doubts she is prepared to give her whole self without reserve to Laurent. Laurent is the sort of man who "throws Therese off her balance and plunges her into a sort of nervous anguish".

As observed, Therese is being taken advantage of in both relationship and she is a victim. Her calamitous experience is directly caused by Laurent and indirectly by Camille. Camille is spoon-fed and coddled by his mother ever since his birth. He is just like a puppet tie permanently to his mother and can never have complete control of his own life. His mother selects his bride for him, controls the food he eats and every single details in his life. It is irony that until his death, he still cannot control his own fate but is murdered by Laurent. He attempts to struggle but he fails to survive. This exactly applies to his life, no matter how hard he struggles, there's no way to be freed from his mother's absoluteness. Therefore, the one whom should be claim responsible for Therese suffering should be either Laurent or Madame Raquin instead of Camille as most of Camille's decision is not according to his own will. In contrast, Laurent is decisive and assertive of his own desires. He plots all the plans by himself and knows clearly his direction, aiming to gratify his hungry appetite of sex and lust. He is not subjected to restrictions form any forces. However, his self-centered actions hurt Therese directly and form permanent scars in her heart. For instance,

The relationship between Camille and Therese can be described as apathetic. Camille seldom shows up in the shop and prefers to wander about all day with dragging steps. He enjoys his long day in his grand department so much that "he will go to bed early and leave at eight in the morning". Whenever he is done with his meal and reading, he will drop off to sleep immediately. Days follow days, they remain pensive throughout a whole evening with not much communication and definitely no physical contact between the both of them.

All in all, Camille and Therese have no passion to each other. They are just being bind together unnaturally by external force which unavoidably leads to the destruction of their marriage. As for Therese and Laurent, they possess some degree of reciprocal passion towards each other and to a small extend there's a degree of equality in their union.