The Garden of Eden

“They were always hungry but they ate very well.”

Catherine comes from a very wealthy family. Though her parents are dead, she has more than enough money to ensure that she and David can eat “very well” every day for the rest of their lives. Despite this wealth, however, Catherine is not satisfied. Her constant hunger is not physical but mental. Her wealth does not insulate her from a desire to devour new thoughts, ideas, and experiences, nor does it prevent her hunger to be someone else.

“You don’t really mind being brothers do you?”

Catherine probes David and his traditional conception of gender roles. She uses her new haircut and her references to gender to test his boundaries and exert control over him. Though David dismisses her behavior as a mere phase, their new role as “brothers” makes him uncomfortable but unwilling to admit as much. Catherine enjoys challenging David’s preconceptions because doing so allows her to feel powerful and in control of the relationship.

“I want every part of me dark and it’s getting that way and you’ll be darker than an Indian and that takes us further away from other people.”

Catherine’s desire to push boundaries is an external exercise. She is unhappy with herself but lacks the tools to address her internal issues. As such, she focuses on changing her external appearance such as cutting her