In The Lake Of The Woods Sparknotes
Nick W.
In the Lake of the Woods Analysis
In the Lake of the Woods was a convoluted mystery novel with no definitive ending. At the end of the book, it is uncertain whether or not John killed Kathy or if she is still alive. Throughout the book, the author sprinkles chapters of evidence to deepen the mystery and reveal more details as to infer what might have happened on the night of Kathy’s disappearance. The main character John, the failed politician, is slowly revealed throughout the story to have had a difficult childhood. With an alcoholic father who mistreated him. His father also committed suicide when he was a teenager which made John resort to magic, fooling people to keep him sane. John is also revealed to have been a part of a horrible
war crime during his time in Vietnam which led to his inevitable defeat in his senate race when his involvement was leaked to the public. The relationship between John and his wife Kathy was shown throughout the book to be very unhealthy. Even before they were married, John often stalked Kathy because it made him feel control. While living together in the cabin, they had many fights and mental breakdowns. In the later chapters of the book, it is revealed that John made Kathy get an abortion even though she wanted to have children and Kathy had an affair with a dentist. It is also revealed later that Kathy had feelings for John’s campaign manager and she contemplated suicide because she was unhappy with her marriage with John. The night surrounding the disappearance of Kathy is shrouded in mystery. During the night, John killed a houseplant with boiling water and took a pot of boiling water to the bedroom where Kathy was sleeping. The next day, John woke up with little recollection of the night before. The search party and accusations that follow lead John to contemplate suicide and eventually disappear. At the end of the story, you don’t know if Kathy fled to Canada like John is alluded to doing or if she was killed by John that night and her body is weighted down at the bottom of the lake.
In the Lake of the Woods Analysis
In the Lake of the Woods was a convoluted mystery novel with no definitive ending. At the end of the book, it is uncertain whether or not John killed Kathy or if she is still alive. Throughout the book, the author sprinkles chapters of evidence to deepen the mystery and reveal more details as to infer what might have happened on the night of Kathy’s disappearance. The main character John, the failed politician, is slowly revealed throughout the story to have had a difficult childhood. With an alcoholic father who mistreated him. His father also committed suicide when he was a teenager which made John resort to magic, fooling people to keep him sane. John is also revealed to have been a part of a horrible
war crime during his time in Vietnam which led to his inevitable defeat in his senate race when his involvement was leaked to the public. The relationship between John and his wife Kathy was shown throughout the book to be very unhealthy. Even before they were married, John often stalked Kathy because it made him feel control. While living together in the cabin, they had many fights and mental breakdowns. In the later chapters of the book, it is revealed that John made Kathy get an abortion even though she wanted to have children and Kathy had an affair with a dentist. It is also revealed later that Kathy had feelings for John’s campaign manager and she contemplated suicide because she was unhappy with her marriage with John. The night surrounding the disappearance of Kathy is shrouded in mystery. During the night, John killed a houseplant with boiling water and took a pot of boiling water to the bedroom where Kathy was sleeping. The next day, John woke up with little recollection of the night before. The search party and accusations that follow lead John to contemplate suicide and eventually disappear. At the end of the story, you don’t know if Kathy fled to Canada like John is alluded to doing or if she was killed by John that night and her body is weighted down at the bottom of the lake.