Freedom 3

Upon finishing the book, I was glad to know that everything finally came full circle and that it was concluded with a happy ending. Something I found interesting while reading however, was how much Walter and Patty both had changed after separating. Before they separated, Walter was the level-headed man who was focused and never let things get to him, while Patty was the depression-ridden one who was on the brink of being crazy. After their separation, they sort of trade places. Walter becomes a bit malevolent and on the crazy side. Much like how Patty used to terrorize the neighbors, Carol and Blake, Walter begins to bother his neighbors about their cats and starts to have an obsession with putting an end to the cats' hunting. Patty takes on Walter's previous role by becoming more of a selfless and caring person towards her family and others. What I got out of this role-switching transformation was that Patty and Walter were truly meant for one another. I think that the reason they became so much like each other was that by being apart, they were truly missing their other halves. They took on the roles of each other as a way of dealing with being apart, and filling the void they were feeling.

When I first started this book, I really doubted that Patty and Walter were made for each other. As I continued to read I was actually persuaded otherwise by how deeply they seemed to care for one another. A part of this book that really showed how much the two Berglunds are meant to be together is ther back on page 491 after Walter first reads Patty's story about her and Richard. In this scene after Walter yells at Patty about what was written, Patty replies by saying "I gave it to Richard last night to try to explain why I stayed with you. Always stayed with you. Still want to stay with you". From this quote you can finally see that deep down Patty is strongly connected to Walter, a type of connection that couldn't be broken by fighting, depression, or even infidelity. This is the point in the novel where for the first time, the reader knows how Patty feels about Walter, after knowing all along how attached Walter is to her. Patty and Walter's story is one that was full of many twists and turns, and points where it seemed as if there was no way they would last. Its a relationship such as their's that shows obstacles are what prove how strong a bond is, and Patty and Walter's is as strong as can be.