Mother Night Betrayal Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

'It's so unjust!' he said. 'It makes me ashamed to be an American! Why can't the Government step forward and say, "Here! This man you've been spitting on is a hero!''' He was indignant, and, for all I know, he was sincere in his indignation. (12.2)

This moment is betrayer magic. Kraft is backstabbing Campbell, but here he's waxing poetic on the U.S. government's "betrayal" of Campbell by not clearing his name. The layers of deception are too perfect—and too depressing.

Quote #8

I didn't have any idea how Jones had found out about me.

Kraft claimed to be mystified, too. He wasn't really mystified. He had written to Jones as an anonymous fellow-patriot, telling him the glad news that I was alive. He had also asked that Jones send a complimentary copy of his great paper to Bernard B. O'Hare of the Francis X. Donovan Post of the American Legion. Kraft had plans for me. (14.4-6)

What makes Kraft's betrayal so insidious is that he and Campbell were friends for over a year before Campbell even revealed his identity. Kraft's first move after that? He decided to plan Campbell's downfall.

What's interesting here is that Kraft plots Campbell's downfall in a way that relies on the propaganda techniques Campbell was such an expert at. It's like the perfect punishment for Campbell.

Quote #9

'Your soul feels love now for my soul?' she said.

'Obviously,' I said.

'And you couldn't be deceived by that feeling?' she said. 'You couldn't be mistaken?'

'Not a chance,' I said.

'And nothing I could say could spoil it?' she said.

'Nothing,' I said.

'All right,' she said, 'I have something to say that I was afraid to say before. I'm not afraid to say it now.'

'Say away!' I said lightly.

'I'm not Helga,' she said. 'I'm her little sister Resi' (23.53-61)

Hear that? It's the sound of Campbell's heart crumbling to tiny bits. This is a massive blow, and what makes it so rough is the set-up. Resi builds up the conversation about love to ensure that Campbell will profess his devotion a bunch of times. Right when it seems like Campbell has invested enough and fully expressed his love for Helga, Resi crushes his reality. It'd be kind of beautiful if it weren't so demented.