While Clive was certainly aware of his desire to some degree, he never actually crossed the line of Plato's ideal of a higher love, the platonic love. Perhaps he sought out Risley and Maurice's companionship as vindication, and putting Maurice's theological standings into question may have very well been Clive projecting his own insecurities. To convince Maurice would be to further convince himself.
Now, I must admit that while I didn't really see it this way until later in the book when Clive did his 180 and all of a sudden he's pro-marriage and "gay is wrong" and "it was just a phase." How can you swing from one extreme to another unless you're compensating for something?
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Re: Clive's self-assurance
Date: 2009-06-02 12:04 am (UTC)Now, I must admit that while I didn't really see it this way until later in the book when Clive did his 180 and all of a sudden he's pro-marriage and "gay is wrong" and "it was just a phase." How can you swing from one extreme to another unless you're compensating for something?