A Child of Divorce

Auden tries to convince herself that she is fine with the fact that her parents are divorced. Intellectually, the character realizes that her parents' failed marriage is more a function of Robert and Victoria's egos clashing than anything else. It is insecurity and pettiness which eventually divide Robert and Victoria permanently. What Auden does not realize, though, is the extent to which she is impacted by her parents' divorce. Auden is an over-achiever and overly concerned with grades and getting ahead academically. Auden prefers books and book learning to spending a great deal of time with friends or going out on dates. This is partially to be expected, as her parents are both well-known academics (especially Auden's mother). But her preoccupation with scholastic perfection also indicates Auden striving for her parents' approval. Auden comes to understand that her parents are both self-absorbed, stubborn people who...