The Guest

Alex has convinced herself that she can while away a few days in the Hamptons before reuniting with Simon at his Labor Day party. But trying to survive without money, a place to stay, food, or a support system presents a significant challenge. In trying to find a solution, Alex creates more problems for herself. What’s more, there’s no guarantee that Simon does want her at his party, if he’s even still thinking about her. This plan highlights Alex’s desperation: She’s willing to be unhoused for a week on the slim chance that Simon might welcome her back after some time off.

Alex is a gifted liar. However, sometimes her lies work against her. Because she always tells people that she’s staying with Simon, or with a friend, she makes it harder for herself to explain why she’s seeking help from them. Alex’s lies to others turn into lies she tells herself. She forces herself to believe her own lies because she is desperate and out of other options. Cline, exploring the theme of Illusion and Deception Masquerading as Truth, suggests that Alex’s self-delusion is a necessary part of her survival, but it is also counterproductive, enabling her to live in a dream world rather than reckon seriously with her problems.

Alex is pragmatic, recognizing and seizing opportunities as they come to her. Each new person she meets becomes a potential source of food, shelter, or money. Twists of luck are important to the structure of the novel, as they enable Alex to seek out another person, another home, another day to tick off before the Labor Day party. For example, she takes full advantage of Nicholas finding and recognizing her. She understands that Nicholas’s generosity is a requirement of his job, and because Nicholas thinks that Alex runs in his employer’s social circle, he has to be kind to her. Even when Nicholas realizes what she’s up to, he still shares his room with her; hospitality is so ingrained in him that it’s become reflexive even in situations that don’t warrant it. Nicholas relies on George for his living, just as Alex relied on Simon. Both Nicholas and Alex are the glue that holds the elite together, maintaining the facade of luxury and ease. Alex, fully conscious of these dynamics, knows how to twist them to her advantage. Alex’s scenes with Nicholas shed light on the theme of Social Class and Power.

Alex also makes her own luck. By recognizing the type of person who might be susceptible to her charms and skills, Alex keeps herself moving along from house to house, situation to situation. For example, Alex reads the group of young people partying in the Hamptons as naive enough to believe that she’s part of the group. This earn Alex a night with a roof over her head, and even though she’s found out quickly the next morning, it is an example of her special skill in recognizing an opportunity and seizing it. Another example of this is Calvin, who is only a child. Alex’s manipulation of Calvin, a child, takes this deception to another level, emphasizing how desperate she is for food and shelter. While she doesn’t hurt Calvin, her willingness to trick a child and take him away from his caregiver is a dramatic escalation.

Alex is starting to become overwhelmed by her lies and her anxieties. More than once in these chapters, she contemplates the serenity that would come with death, but ultimately determines to keep going. Alex’s anxieties and stresses are further exacerbated by her abuse of drugs. She takes painkillers because they help to relax her, but when she is high, she acts more recklessly, which places her in even more trouble. For example, consuming cocaine with Nicholas makes her so reckless that she defaces a priceless painting, thereby alienating the person who is helping her. Another example of this is when she gets high with the bartender and tells him the truth—that she doesn’t know the Spencer family. Under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Alex is truthful to a fault because she lets her guard down in ways that could get her into more trouble. Her abuse of drugs and alcohol highlights her stress, her unhealthy coping mechanisms, and her inability to regain control of her life. Illusion and Deception Masquerading as Truth can be dangerous, and Alex’s lies are catching up to her.

Alex’s answer to Nicholas’s question adds another layer to her characterization. When he asks her why she is the way she is, Alex doesn’t have a good story about trauma or abuse to explain her destructive behavior. According to her, she’s had an ordinary life. This revelation adds even more mystery to Alex, begging the question of how an ordinary person like her landed in this situation.

Throughout these chapters, Alex is fixated on her broken phone. Her phone is her one true possession—everything else she owns is a gift from Simon. Her phone is her lifeline to Simon and to other people who might help her. Now that it’s broken, she has no choice but to wait in limbo until the Labor Day party. What’s more, she is still frightened of what Dom might do to her. If her phone worked, she would likely see several unanswered and ceaseless texts from him. But because she is unable to see Dom’s texts, Alex becomes more concerned and anxious about the threat he represents.