LITERARY CRITICISM
Leonard Cassuto’s “Bound for Perdition: Highsmith’s, ‘Strangers on a Train,’” connects pieces of the novel to Patricia Highsmith’s life, allowing for a deeper understanding of the key relationships in the novel. Patricia Highsmith, as revealed in the article was gay, which draws a parallel between herself and Bruno due to Bruno and Guy being “joined by a bond ‘closer than brotherhood,’” (1) which is both corrosive and intimate. We agree with this conclusion because as we read the novel, we noticed an odd relationship between Guy and Bruno. Bruno admitted to not being fond of a traditional relationship and he seemed very attached to Guy. The article also explains how Highsmith “perverts the workings of sympathy in her suspense stories” (2). This statement is very true due to the lack of empathy we felt as readers towards Bruno. However we partially disagree with this statement because empathizing with Guy came easily. In conclusion, we agree with the majority of Cassuto’s argument due to the parallels drawn between Highsmith’s life and the novel.