Escape
The theme of escape is central to this story. The protagonist of this story tends to escape from the problems. Clara's husband forces her to extort some hush money from Sylvia, who returns from Greece after her husband's death. Clara is disappointed by her husband's plan and admits to Sylvia that she wishes to leave him permanently. After escaping from her home to marry Clarke, Clara once again seeks to escape from her marriage after it becomes abusive. Sylvia understands her feelings because she also wants to escape from her sorrow. Eventually, Clara realizes that running from her problems is not the solution to her problem.
Marriage
The story revolves around two couples, the Jamesions and Clark and Clara's marriage life. Sylvia and Leon are the ideal husband-wife, but Clara and Clark have an unhealthy relationship. After running away from her family for Clark, Clara finds herself married to an abusive husband. There is a lack of maturity and trust between them, which causes Clara to struggle in her marriage. She desires emotional support from her husband, but her husband doesn't care about anything but his needs. Carla feels trapped in her life as a farmer's wife and seeks to escape from her marriage and the limitations it puts on her.
Expectation Vs Reality
Clara wants to marry Clark against her parent's wishes and elopes from her home. After discovering Clark's true nature and his obsessive behavior, she regrets her decision. She knows that her husband is the only support she has. Therefore, he emotionally tortures her to make her more vulnerable.
Sylvia gives Clara a glimpse of the promising future if she agrees to leave her husband, but Clara's unhealthy attachment to her husband prevents her from making a decision. In the entire story, Clara is miserable with her life and with her husband. She doesn't know what she wants and chooses to stay in the abusive marriage because she lacks identity without her husband.
