By noticing the way women are perceived by men in Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, readers will have a deeper understanding of the plot, which in turn will allow readers to recognize the theme topic and message of appearance versus reality that the author is implying. On his way to deliver his last gift on his final day before his planned suicide, Leonard remembers when he first met the person for whom the gift is meant. Leonard pauses his narration and flashes back to when he was walking downtown and noticed a girl about his age handing out flyers for the Catholic church. He was immediately drawn to her because of her unique and beautiful looks, and although not Catholic himself, Leonard used the girl’s interest in God to talk…show more content… The theme topic of appearance versus reality becomes evident as Leonard learns more about Lauren, who wasn’t at all who he thought she was. She is a strong Catholic girl with a religious boyfriend, and both are sworn to chastity before marriage. Leonard, in contrast, doesn’t believe in the idea of chastity. This leaves Leonard despondent due to the cruel reality that his dream girl didn’t fit his fantasy. The theme topic allows the plot to evolve into a conflict; Leonard falls into a depression and almost into insanity because he is heartbroken. The author is expressing how society's typical view of women is seldom the right way to think and can lead to embarrassment or even depression as the truth about strong women in society is revealed. Quick does this by explaining the occurrences through an unstable teenager’s eyes, amplifying the consequences and bringing out the theme topic with more expression. Once readers analyze how women are initially portrayed in the minds of some men, the author’s message through the description of a theme topic becomes evident and carries readers smoothly through the plot and conflict of the rest of the
