There's a reason why hundreds of songs have been written about love: It's something most of us can relate to. For Pearl, love comes unexpectedly when she meets Amiel and falls for him faster than you can say "avocado rancher." While much of the story centers around this couple, there are many tales of love in Dark Water. Pearl witnesses firsthand what happens when love disappears from a marriage after her dad leaves. We also get to see other lovebirds (Greenie and Hickey, Mary Beth and Robby) and troubled relationships (Hoyt and Agnès) to figure out how this love stuff works. Pretty much everyone gets bitten by the love bug in some way in this book.
Questions About Love
- Is all love the same in the novel? Do the characters fall in or out of love for similar reasons? What patterns do you notice and what sort of messages do these send about love?
- Do you think Pearl is really in love or just infatuated with a summer fling? What is the difference between the two? How can you tell how she feels about Amiel? Does his forbidden nature make Amiel attractive to Pearl?
- How does Amiel feel about Pearl? Does he give her any indication that he loves her? If he does love her, how are we to understand his actions?
- Why do you think Robby believes his dad is having an affair when he really isn't? How does this help us understand relationships?
Chew on This
Even though Pearl believes she is in love, she is only attracted to Amiel because he is forbidden and exciting. Her feelings for him will fade quickly.
Amiel doesn't love Pearl in the way that she loves him. She is willing to sacrifice for him, but he is only selfish with her.