Forgive us for stating the obvious, but pretty much every single character in Gone Girl is totally miserable. Nick's hometown of North Carthage has been hammered by the recession, Nick and Amy's profession as magazine writers has crumbled under the weight of the Internet's dominance, and both of them are super discontent with their marriage.
Nobody is happy about anything—unless you count Amy's short-lived euphoria over the early success of Operation: Send Nick Up the River. As a result, this book provides a disturbing commentary on the ways people in our current society attempt to hide from or even completely ignore their unhappiness.
Questions About Dissatisfaction
- Make a list of Nick's grievances against his life. How would you describe the main emotions he feels toward his circumstances?
- How are Amy's avenging behavior and plots to bring about the ruination of other people related to her dissatisfaction with her own life?
- The 2008 recession is a huge part of the unhappiness of many characters in the book. Give a few examples of how the economy has negatively impacted their views of life.
- Do you think Nick and Amy are capable of having a well-functioning marriage? What would each of them have to do in order to be more satisfied with their relationship?