A Kind of Obsession

Obsession can come up hard against reality.  A partner in a romantic relationship may decide that the romance is over, and clearly inform the other partner of their decision.  But rather than accepting the decision, that other partner may remain persistent, with a certain type of love.  Obsessive love.

II.

As an adolescent in London, Leonora Chisholm had come across a city street gang, where she met Guy Curran.  Leonora and Guy became young lovers.  In Going Wrong, Ruth Rendell addresses the class differences between Guy and Leonora.  Guy is from a slum neighbourhood, while Leonora has been raised in a patronizing middle-class family.  The Chisholms do not always succeed in concealing their contempt of Guy Curran.

University begins - for Leonora.  Her family is hopeful that leaving for school will keep Leonora from further contact with Guy.  Meanwhile, Guy applies himself to being a drug-dealer.  His ruthless criminal talent quickly makes him a wealthy man.  As for Leonora, he stays in touch by phone, calling her daily while she is away at university.  Guy also sees Leonora regularly, by taking her to lunch every Saturday afternoon.

At one of their Saturday meetings, Guy notices Leonora's reaction as he makes his way toward her in a wine bar.  "If only he could have deluded himself that her expression was not - dismay. ... Then he deluded himself. He was imagining it." <1>  In any case, her reaction does seem a long way from the "unbearable tenderness" Guy felt when he saw her at the bar.  Sitting together, Leonora tries once again to get through to Guy about their break-up.  " 'I've told you enough times, Guy. ... Why won't you believe me?' "

Guy responds by confirming with Leonora that she has a new boyfriend.  William Newton is of a similar educational and social background as Leonora, and so, much more acceptable as a suitor to her family.  It is settled in Guy's mind.  The Chisholm family (condescending snobs), their circle of friends and acquaintances (pretentious snobs), and now, this Newton: they were all set against him in a conspiracy to keep him and Leonora apart.

Rendell has shown us Guy's fondness for alcohol in the narrative, and as he broods over his situation, his drinking increases.  The alcohol further loosens his grip on sober reality, and through criminal contacts, Guy makes arrangements to have certain persons in the Chisholm circle permanently silenced.  Meanwhile, the Chisholms have been arranging things as well, to remove Guy from Leonora's life: their plan just does not involve homicide.  The reader will have to learn for themselves how Guy's and the Chisholm plans turn out.  I will share, however, the words of Leonora's mother Tessa, as she expresses them to Guy near the conclusion of the novel.  " 'You never seemed to understand. You've no place amongst us, you're not our kind of person. To be perfectly frank, no matter how much money you've made, you don't belong in our class.' " 

III.

Guy Curran causes significant distress to Leonora and her family.  Why then does Leonora stay in contact with Guy as they both age into their twenties?  The explanations include the suggestion of an ambivalence on Leonora's part about keeping a former lover in her life, even as developments accumulate in a specific manner in the novel.  Going Wrong is a compelling and exceptional crime thriller by Ruth Rendell.

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<1>Rendell, Ruth. Going Wrong (1990). Seal Books edition, 1991.