Thesis For The Secret History

Donna Tartt’s novel, The Secret History, delves into the world of Hampden College, located in rural Vermont, where a group of college students descends into immoral values and murder as they try to understand their own trivial existence. Richard Papen, a transfer student coming from a lower-income family, manages to join the elitist and selective group of classics students, led by Professor Julian Morrow. These students centered on their outer appearance and philosophical pursuits, which leads to them as a group straying from rational life. Owing to this, Richard is constantly pushing himself to maintain a persona of a higher status to fit in and receive the group’s approval. However, their subtle fight for the approval of everyone around them

The group begins to spiral, with rash decisions and comments being made by members of the group, but with little protest from others: “‘But how,’ said Charles, who was close to tears, ‘how can you possibly justify cold-blooded murder?’ Henry lit a cigarette. ‘I prefer to think of it,’ he had said, ‘as redistribution of matter.’” (p. 302) By being with such a like-minded group that continuously does everything together, Richard’s ideas have conformed to that of the group. This quote by Charles and Henry exhibits the ideas that are held by the group, and Richard's lack of regard for the repercussions of their actions and ideas causes him to additionally abide by these beliefs. Unknowingly, this comment from Henry and Charles comes up later in the novel and heavily affects Richard’s actions. The group decided that based on Bunny’s actions they were placed in jeopardy, so they had to dispose of him in order to preserve their status: “We wait at the ravine and just hope he happens to stroll by. And if he does, we push him off” (p. 255) The use of the term “we” in this passage shows how Richard is being roped into all decisions by the group, to the extent of completing murder with them. There is no protest by anyone from the group, showing that no morals are put

This novel emphasizes the dangers of obsessing over these desires and the results of losing perspective. Richard's inability to accept various viewpoints ultimately leads him down a disastrous road. Richard is so naive to the reality of the group he is living in, that by the time he finally is able to realize what has happened, it's too late and there is death surrounding him. The novel serves as a cautionary tale about the desire for exclusivity and the unfavorable results of seeking approval from