The Talented Mr. Ripley

Early on in the novel, Herbert asks Tom if he has ever read The Ambassadors, by Henry James. Discuss Highsmith’s use of this reference. How does it connect to the novel, and how might it deepen the meaning of the text to draw comparisons between the two novels?

Analyze Highsmith’s use of water as a motif in the novel and identify potential motivations for using this symbolic element in the text.

Throughout the novel, Tom expresses a desire to go to Greece, which he does not achieve until the very end. What does Tom think of Greece, and why might he be so fixated on that particular destination?

Discuss Tom’s constant feeling, throughout the story, that he is being pursued or followed. Consider both the occasions on which that feeling is warranted, as when Herbert follows him at the beginning of the book and those times when the feeling seems to be unsupported. Why is Tom subject to this paranoia, and what does it say about his character?

Analyze Tom’s relationship to risk throughout the novel and contrast it with the wealthy characters’ relationship to security. Why does he take the unnecessary risks that he takes? What might these actions say about Tom and about the society in which he is trying to ascend?

At various times throughout the book, Tom contemplates the concept of loneliness versus being alone. What, according to Tom and the text, is the difference between the two, and how does this understanding deepen the meaning of the text?

Tom often feels ashamed in the novel, but oddly, this feeling tends to occur when he is telling the truth. Analyze Tom’s feelings of shame throughout the novel, paying particular attention to when and why that shame occurs. Why does he feel shame when he is telling the truth, and how does this complicate Tom’s character for the reader?

Why does Tom get involved with the Greenleaf family, beyond money, and what might he be hoping for in his relationships with Dickie and Herbert?