MORAVIA
Dino's failure as a lover, and an artist, is a failure of empathy. He makes clumsy attempts to know Cecilia, even going so far as to visit her home and her family, but they all fail. Several times, he interrogates Cecilia, and tries to trick her into betraying something authentic about herself. After having sex with Cecilia, and failing to feel any sort of possession, Dino futilely tries to develop such a connection through conversation.
At the end, he would ask her:
"That was good, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was very good."
"Very good or rather good?"
"Very good."
"Better than usual?"
"Yes, perhaps better than usual."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, I'm happy."
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, you know I love you."
These were words I had used countless times, but never with a feeling so utterly desperate.
At the end, he would ask her:
"That was good, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was very good."
"Very good or rather good?"
"Very good."
"Better than usual?"
"Yes, perhaps better than usual."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, I'm happy."
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, you know I love you."
These were words I had used countless times, but never with a feeling so utterly desperate.
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