Now What?

The end of the novel has always surprised me. Why did Highsmith choose to end the book with no clear answer as to whether or not Tom gets caught? This ending is not what we typically see in murder mystery novels. Usually, the detectives solve the case and the murderer is punished. By leaving the ending open ended, the reader can use their imagination to guess what could possibly happen. In a way, we do see Tom’s success in the case. In the end, he is granted with Dickie’s freedom and wealth. That was all he ever wanted. Regardless of what the police and detectives uncover, Tom has successful manipulated Mr. Greenleaf and Marge in believing Dickie’s death was a suicide.

This open ending leaves Highsmith room to write sequals, which could continue the mystery of Dickie Greenleaf and Tom Ripley. In reading a biography of Highsmith, I come to find out she has wrote four more books that continue Tom Ripleys story.

Highsmiths Biography: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/highsm.htm

Theme of Art

One of the themes of the novel was “art”. Why was art and painting such a dominant theme? Dickie was a painter and enjoyed creating new works of art daily. Tom became fascinated with art as well. One of the stories Tom made up was that Dickie had traveled to Rome to meet with a well known artist. I think artwork may have been important to the novel because art is a creative form of expressing oneself. Throughout the entire novel, Tom is disappointed with the way he lives his life and is not happy with himself as a person. He is constantly trying to express himself in a new way; as Dickie. Dickie’s identity crisis parallels the freedom of expression through art.

Marge and Tom

What made Marge give Tom a second chance at friendship? Marge had never been impressed with Tom nor very fond of him. Before Dickie’s death, Marge did not want to believe a word that came out of Tom’s mouth but preceding the death, Marge believed every word Dickie said. She completely trusted Tom even after all of her previous, uncomfortable encounters. I believe she has a new trust in Tom because she has no one else in her life. She was in love with Dickie and he was her world. When he was gone, she had no one to run too. With Tom being the closest one to Dickie before the murder, she may have felt that she was in a way spending time with Dickie. Also, since Tom had studied Dickie’s mannerisms and language so intricately, subconsciously Marge may have saw Dickie in Tom.

Murder + Money= Traveling

One thing I thought was interesting was that Tom was able to travel the world and site see while he was changing identities and under the investigation. I thought it was so bizarre how relaxed and amused Tom was after murdering two of his friends. With Dickie’s money in hand Tom was able to travel from place to place in order to keep those from finding out his secrets. Even with all of the anxiety of being caught, Tom was actually enjoying the new cities and made the most out of each destination he was hiding at. He was even singing and giggling at points. He got thrill out of crime investigation he was the center of. Highsmith writes, “It occurred to him that his anticipations was more pleasant to him than his experiencing.” To Tom, this was an entertaining life, a life he had always wanted to live.

Tom's Wild Imagination

The biggest factor that helps Tom get away with the two murders is the vivid imagination he has. He is constantly thinking of potential outcomes to the situations. Before he speaks with anyone involving the case, Tom imagines how the conversation is going to go. He thinks so detailed about these imaginary situations that he is prepared when the phone rings. This gives him the confidence to pull off the stunts. On page 239 it states, “His stories were so good because he imagined them intensely, so intensely that he came to believe them.” Without his imagination, I don’t think Tom would have had been prepared to talk to so many different people about so many different aspects of the case like he was. His imagination is the key to his success.
Also, having a these potential outcomes and situations broadcasted, it allows the reader to imagine what may happen as well.

The Trickster

I cannot believe Tom is trying to pull of being both Tom and Dickie. It is always such a suspenseful moment when we read about a predicament Tom get his himself into where he has to act as a certain person and is not prepared. Even though I have read the novel before and know how the story ends, I am always held at anticipation to see when he’ll get caught. With the plot being so twisted between the three different cases that Tom is involved in, it’s hard not to believe Tom will get caught in the act. Highsmith has developed such a strong plot that the possibilities of when and where Tom will get caught are endless.

Multiple Stories

It is hard for me as the reader, to keep all of Tom’s stories in line. I can only imagine how hard Tom’s brain is working to remember who he told what, about who. There are now so many pieces to the puzzle that it’s astonishing that some have not yet been revealed. Tom clearly has a mind for this type of drama. He has the skill to be calm under such stressful situation. In chapter 17, Tom speaks with the police and has his address released in the newspaper as Dickie Greenleaf’s address. The fact that his address is now publicized has made it possible for friends of Dickie to contact him. Tom has a lot of work ahead of him to keep the same story straight to everybody.