# Infidelity in literature



## johnnycomelately (Oct 30, 2010)

Excuse me for being poncy and quoting literature, but I am reading a book by Graham Greene at the moment and he has a great description of 'the fog'. 

The character is posted to Africa as a policeman during the 2nd WW and his wife is away, he convinces himself that he is 'just friends' with a young woman until...

_"She stood pressed against him with her hand on his side. 
When the sound of Bagster's feet receded, she raised her 
mouth and they kissed. What they had both thought was 
safety proved to have been the camouflage of an enemy 
who works in terms of friendship, trust, and pity." _

It is exactly what WSs convince themselves of. How often do they say 'she/he just needs someone to talk to' or 'he/she is going through a rough patch'. It's comforting to know that human behaviour is so constant...or maybe it is sad?

Any other examples that might help us understand why we behave the way we do?


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## lamaga (May 8, 2012)

Well, it's all over the place...Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina, Othello, even the Bible. It's one of the basic facts of human existence. Not any easier if you are going through it, but it's just part of who we as a species are.


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## iheartlife (Apr 4, 2012)

I recollected this thread this morning. I heard a reference to The Great Gatsby and vaguely recalled that a pivotal moment in the book, the death of a minor character, is due to an adulterous affair. And then I remembered how it's really about two adulterous affairs, one between the main characters (exs) and the husband and his mistress.

Most people focus on how money has corrupted the characters in the book.

I found this essay, The Great Gatsby -- An Analysis of Love [not so sure about that title, because the author makes the point that there isn't any in the story]

The Great Gatsby - An Analysis of Love


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## anonymouskitty (Jun 5, 2012)

Women's fiction(chick-lits) in general deals with this stuff sometimes justifying and even glorifying it.

I'm not really sure about the names of books or the authors, but they're all over the place.

Understanding the why of it -> maybe some books on evolutionary psychology can help you, that and the fact that humans are the most selfish of all creatures.


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