Juxtaposition In The Virgin Suicides

The concepts of honour and loyalty seem intrinsically linked, packaged together under the overarching category of general chivalry. However, a closer look through the lens of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel The Virgin Suicides reveals this to be a misconception. One can exist without the other; in fact, none of the Lisbon girls’ peers display both. While the neighbourhood boys may be loyal, they are not honourable. Furthermore, Trip Fontaine, who stands apart from the collective conscience of the other boys, can be considered the opposite. By examining this juxtaposition of vastly different approaches to interacting with the Lisbon girls, the falsity of both methods can be revealed. This, observed in conjunction with humanistic psychological theory,

In fact, this infatuation continues even as they grow up, get married and approach middle age since, to them, “no other women can ever measure up to the ideal of the Lisbon girls” (Kirby). They admit that the girls are still in their collective mind, and that the memories make them “... happier with dreams than wives” (Eugenides 126). Analysis of this relationship is also featured in much of the scholarly writing on Eugenides’ novel, and it has been argued that the boys relationship is an obsessive one, that “...despite the fact that they appear to be collectors of the girls' possessions, it is actually the collection of mementos that possess them” (Kostova 49). However, no matter how deep or loyal their attraction is, it is clear the girls are the object of their sexual desire. They demonstrate this numerous times, including when they describe Lux as a succubus, when they respond to girls making contact after many months of isolation by playing love songs, and when Peter Sissen considers stealing a used tampon from the garbage to show to the other boys. Even at their noblest moment, when they go to rescue the girls, one boy ruins the chivalrous act by commenting “These girls make me crazy. If I could just feel one of them up just once,” (Eugenides 159). He doesn’t even distinguish which girl, because he doesn’t view them as individuals. In her paper, Kostova goes as far as to say “the many [narrators]

Firstly, there is the fact that he, rather than viewing the sisters as many parts of one whole, focuses only on Lux. This is unlike the neighbourhood boys. Additionally, while he lacks the loyalty the boys possess, he is bound to his own set of morals to which he does conform. To use a colloquialism, he follows the “bro code”. The neighbourhood boys comment on this, saying “Trip Fontaine possessed the discretion of the world's great lovers...” due to the fact that he did not tell others about his sexual escapades (Eugenides 54). Even 25 years after the fact, when asked about the women he seduced, he avoids giving out details and this, although his conduct completely lacks fidelity, is a commendable thing. Likewise, he approaches Lux without pretext which is much more honest than the way the narrators behave. When Lux goes to homecoming with Trip, she and the other girls get the chance to “experience their new social freedom” but, unfortunately, things end badly for Lux (Szymanski 41). Trip promptly discards her, and moves on. He later remarks to the narrators "It's weird. I mean, I liked her. I really liked her. I just got sick of her right then.” (Eugenides