59 pages • 1 hour read
Jeneva RoseThe Perfect Marriage
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Lakehouse
The lake house is a central symbol in the book, representing the marriage alluded to in the novel’s title. Initially, the lake house represented fresh hope in Sarah and Adam’s marriage, as it was a second home where they could go to get away from the pressure of the city, including Sarah’s job. However, Adam mostly spends time there alone or having an affair with Kelly/Jenna: The lake house has thus evolved to being symbolic of their crumbling marriage. The lake house then becomes a literal scene of the crime, embodying the deceit and infidelity that has plagued Adam and Sarah’s union.
After the murder, the lake house functions as a semi-prison for Adam, who is kept there under house arrest. As Adam grows more suspicious of Sarah, he becomes more determined to break out of the lake house. His desperation to flee the house mirrors his desperation to flee her marital control, suggesting that the marriage—just like the lake house—has become a form of entrapment for him.
The lake house gains prominence once again in the book’s final chapter, when it is revealed that Sarah, Bob, and their daughter, Summer, now live there full-time. The lake house has once again become a symbol of marital hope and bliss. Given the lake house’s history, this is a disturbing symbolic reference, suggesting that Sarah’s latest union might also soon fail to be the “perfect” marriage it appears to be.
The Third Set of DNA
The third set of DNA is a red herring that is carried throughout the narrative. It is suggested that the DNA could belong to various people, from Deputy Hudson to Jesse Hook. However, the third set of DNA belongs to Sheriff Stevens, who suppresses this fact throughout the investigation. The third set of DNA can thus be seen as a representation of deceit. Sheriff Stevens tells Sarah, “I’m just here to find out the truth and enact the proper justice” (82), whereas, in fact, the Sheriff deliberately hides the truth. Like so many other characters in the book—Sarah, Adam, Anne, Kelly/Jenna—the Sheriff proves to be capable of lies and deceit. While DNA is meant to help identify who someone is, it appears in a novel in which no one is exactly who they first appear to be.
The Photo of Adam and Kelly/Jenna
While revisiting the crime scene with Sheriff Stevens, Sarah finds an envelope in a hidden compartment of Adam’s writing desk. It contains a racy photo of Adam and Kelly/Jenna, along with a written threat: “END IT OR I WILL” (103). Sarah seems surprised, telling Sheriff Stevens, “Someone knew about Kelly and Adam. This is a threat. This is proof that Adam didn’t do it” (103). In fact, Sarah already knows about the affair. The photo itself is a red herring. It symbolizes Adam’s infidelity, speaking to the theme of Fidelity Versus Deceit. The photo is brought up repeatedly throughout the narrative, until the final reveal that Anne took the photo only to hide the proof from Sarah—yet another instance of deception and interpersonal betrayal.
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By Jeneva Rose
