A Slow Fire Burning

At several points, Laura references a previous assault charge that is pending when the novel begins. It is eventually explained that Laura stabbed a man in the hand with a cocktail fork after he groped her while she was dancing at a club. The cocktail fork symbolizes the social bias against female aggression and the double standard for the behavior of men and women. Laura attempts to justify stabbing the man by explaining that he groped her, but people shrug off the man’s transgression and see Laura as the one who behaved inappropriately. The man’s behavior is seen as normal and is tolerated while Laura is blamed both for creating the conditions leading to the assault and then for defending herself. Seeing the cocktail fork as a dangerous weapon is comical because it is too small to do any real damage: The implication is that the man’s body is perceived as worthy of protection while Laura’s is not.

The cocktail fork connects thematically to Daniel’s murder; people repeatedly assume that because Laura was capable of stabbing one man (albeit with a tiny implement), she must be capable of cutting a man’s throat. The fact that the two actions are completely disproportionate never enters the discussion because the pending assault charge has already compromised Laura’s character. Laura’s fight with Daniel was a form of self-defense, and the injury to her arm was caused by her needing to break into her house because Miriam stole her key. Laura is the victim in both cases, but because she is seen as a violent woman, she is treated like the aggressor.