Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl

Love is the epitome of the most intimate and complex connection one can foster with another. It is human nature to feel a sense of intense attachment to another person, but this passion could lead to dire consequences. There are those that seem to find the love of their life, but realize that finding that person might have been the worst mistake of their life. In the novel, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, when Nick and Amy Dunne met each other for the first time, it was almost love at first sight. From there, the pair became husband and wife to embark on the journey of life together. However, their seemingly perfect marriage began to fall apart. On their fifth-year anniversary, Nick came home to find his wife gone. After an investigation ensued

This novel depicts some of the extreme consequences that lack of honesty could cause in a marriage. After struggles with money and the declining health of Nick’s mother, the pair were forced to move from New York City to Missouri. Although Amy loathed the idea of moving from her home, she never expressed her feelings to Nick. Amy even admits this herself when she says, “I often don’t say things out loud, even when I should… but you’d never guess from looking at me” (Flynn 83). This began the trend of settling for the sake of their marriage that is seen on both sides. Unfortunately, this also created resentment between the two, which only led into more violent situations. Later on, one of the biggest dishonesties is revealed in the story: Nick’s secret affair with another woman. Nick carried on this lie for over a year until his wife went missing. Unbeknownst to Nick, Amy’s whereabouts were all part of a plot by Amy to exact revenge on her

As arguments piled on top of one another, Nick and Amy were desperate for a way to cease their downward spiral. In their heads, manipulating how the other person behaved would repair their issues. In reality, this need to fix each other only caused a deeper resentment and bitterness. Nick reveals his sarcastic resentment when he thinks to himself, “Wear this, don’t wear that… And definitely, definitely give up the thing you love for me, so I will have proof that you love me best (Flynn 56).” Amy went on to manipulate the neighborhood mom-to-be to fake a pregnancy and Desi Collings when she needed a place to stay. On the other hand, Nick manipulated the media’s view of him in an attempt to clear his name of murder and find his wife. As Amy and Nick manipulated each other, other people, and even the media, their hopes of saving their marriage proved to be the exact