Serena And Pemberton In Ron Rash's Serena

“And darkness. You can’t see it no more than you can see air, but when it’s all around you sure enough know it.” In Ron Rash’s novel, Serena, there is a couple that live in North Calorinathere is proof that the knife symbolizes Serena and Pemberton’s marriage. The knife Serena gave to Pemberton represents the murders she committed and the relationship in their marriage. The knife represents their relationship by showing that Serena and Pemberton start off strong but only because she manipulated him into believing her, just like a knife it starts off shiny and strong. After a knife is used too many times the blade eventually becomes dull, which shows that their relationship has become weak overtime. The knife also represents how Serena acts
“His eyes. He wouldn’t look our way, not once” (Rash 140). Serena noticed that Buchanan wasn’t paying attention at the meeting, so she believes he doesn’t want to save the business. “I could join you in the afternoon. I can do it if you want me to. No. I’ll do it. Another time for me, then” (Rash 141). This quote represents how Pemberton ends up killing Buchanan because Serena made a plan with Pemberton so she knew he would follow through with killing him. Serena wants to be above everyone, so she has to manipulate and trap people by getting her way. Serena will remove anybody that’s in her way of getting what she wants, that’s why the knife is symbolic. The knife shows that no matter how strong Serena feels, she is getting weaker while pulling down her relationship with Pemberton to. James Dickey wrote, “Although it does not at first appear to be a disregard for life, when considering that a man was killed a few feet away not moments ago and the cool way in which the situation is handled and just as easily forgotten, neither of the Pembertons seem to have any regret towards the death. Even Pemberton, after killing a man, seems to disregard what happened as if it was an everyday event” (Dickey par. 2). Serena seems like she gets satisfaction from murdering people or convincing Pemberton to do her dirty work. However, Pemberton feels weak and guilty of doing
Serena controls Pemberton in a way that he can’t even see, because she has manipulated him so much. Serena kills anybody that is in her way, no matter who it is with the help of her friend Galloway. The knife symbolizes their relationship because it shows that death controls their relationship, it’s the only thing that brings them closer. The blade of the knife cuts deeper until the truth is out, which Pemberton came to realize what the knife symbolized in that moment he found