How we cite our quotes: (Part.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #7
You understand nothing. You are a destroyer, a black spiteful destroyer. You are the sort of person who goes around in a dream smashing things. No wonder you can't write. You aren't really here at all. Julian looked at you and made you real for a moment. I made you real for a moment because I was sorry for you. Now that's all over and all that's left of you is a sort of crazy spiteful vampire, a vindictive ghost. […] You are a dangerous and awful person. You are one of those wretchedly unhappy people who want to destroy happiness wherever they see it. (3.13.149)
Rachel Baffin certainly doesn't spare her words when she lashes out at Bradley Pearson near the end of the novel, and on the whole, her account of Bradley's "true" personality offers the most evidence for Bradley's vindictive, murderous jealousy. But can we readers trust Rachel's account? Isn't it equally plausible that raging jealousy is motivating her words and actions, too?
Quote #8
BP was of course a person painfully conscious of inferiority. He was an unhappy, disappointed man, ashamed of his social origin and his illiteracy, and stupidly ashamed of his job which he imagined made him a figure of fun. In fact he was, though not for that reason, a figure of fun to all of us. […] He must have realized this. I suppose it is possible, and it is a shocking thought, that a man might commit a serious crime just in order to stop people from laughing at him. That BP was a man who hated being laughed at is pretty clear throughout the story. (Postscript by Rachel: par. 7)
In Rachel Baffin's view, Bradley Pearson's jealousy toward Arnold Baffin was more complex than simply envy of Arnold's authorial success. What's your take on this, Shmoopers? To what extent does personal shame seem to influence Bradley throughout his narrative, and throughout the novel on the whole?
Quote #9
BP cannot even in his dream-story conceal that he was very envious of my husband's success. I think this envy was an absolute obsession with him, he was eaten up by it. (Postscript by Rachel: par. 8)
Bradley Pearson himself hints that he and Arnold Baffin were pretty close to being obsessed with each other, so are Rachel Baffin's accusations entirely off the mark? Where do you come down on this one, Shmoopers? Are you willing to accept that Bradley wasn't deadly jealous of Arnold, or do you share Rachel's point of view?