57 pages • 1 hour read
Chris PavoneTwo Nights in Lisbon
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Drinks and Glassware
Content Warning: This section of the guide refers to sexual assault.
Drinks or glassware are involved in many of Ariel’s challenging or significant exchanges with men. During her visit to the embassy to discuss John, Saxby Barnes insists on giving Ariel a glass of water despite her refusal. She calls this “foisting a favor upon her, with the expectation of extracting something later” (25). Ariel’s focus on this failure to honor her wishes demonstrates her astuteness in contrast to her public vulnerability. Later, the novel reveals Ariel fended off an attempt at sexual assault by her neighbor, who invited himself in for a glass of water. This episode puts her reaction to Barnes in a stark light, underlining that men denying her agency is a key part of Ariel’s life. That same day, Ariel subdues Antonucci by pretending to drop her water bottle. The beverage provides her with the necessary ruse to protect herself.
Pavone also uses beverages to contrast Wolfe and John. When Ariel meets Wolfe in a bar, he orders an expensive wine, and “Ariel understood this wine was not on the menu […] not unless you were a man like Charlie” and she is struck by its color, “like blood of some big game” (339). Wolfe’s taste in wine showcases his appetite for violence and demonstrations of power and entitlement. Years later, Ariel and John share a bottle of wine the night before they sleep together for the first time. John, unlike Wolfe, is invested in Ariel’s desires and respects her choices. Pavone establishes his loyalty through the contrast between these scenes. In the scene with John, Ariel consumes a beverage because she wants to, without fear or force, underlining that the bond between the couple is real, if not conventional.
Animals and Pets
Ariel’s animals and pets reveal her priorities and the importance of her farm not only as a retreat but as the base for her quest for justice. She reflects that it is possible her pets offer her “the only completely credible type of love, all the others are suspect” (139). Her love of animals is tied up with her cynicism and distrust of people. Her mother expresses distaste for her livestock, especially her recently acquired goat, whereas Ariel confesses to John that she talks to her pets. He is gentle about it, leading her to realize, “I could love this man” (178). John’s acceptance of her eccentricities, of who she has become and the life she has chosen, assures the reader of his reliability even as other aspects of the narrative call it into question. Ariel uses dogs to connect with George, as they are the “only subject he’s reliably willing to discuss” (35). Her pets keep her connected to those she loves and those she might love. Her mother’s refusal to see this underscores the estrangement between them.
Ariel’s goat becomes as fundamental to the plot as to her character. She adopts him after her neighbor dies. The goat’s provenance and the dubious legality of the adoption led her lawyer to explain nondisclosure agreements. Ariel can lead others to the truth, provided she does not directly give them the information. Ariel’s farm provides her with the resources she needs to take Wolfe down. Ariel’s animals represent her devotion to life on her own terms, navigating secrets in ways that create justice and personal growth.
Telephones and Technology
Ariel relies on telephones for communication and information, while burner phones introduce elements of espionage and uncertainty. These devices symbolize the difference between communication and truth-telling and reinforce themes like Secrets and Their Consequences. For much of the first day after John disappears, Ariel makes phone calls and sends texts. She reflects that the modern expectation of immediacy adds to the tension she feels, pondering that “maybe it was easier when the only way to communicate was by handwritten letter” (9). Ariel’s nostalgia is in keeping with her overall attitude: she is distrustful of technology and avoids social media, and she frequently comments on her employee Persephone’s avid use of her phone. Moreover, Ariel has only a single photo of John on her phone to show the police, which adds to the mystery around him at the early stage of the narrative.
The arrival of another phone signals a turn in the plot. When a mysterious person hands her a phone, Ariel thinks it is “not a weapon, at least not a traditional sort” (88). The wording underlines the power of communication, which others will soon harness in search of information about Ariel and John. Wagstaff and Griffiths rely on a series of phone calls to research Ariel’s past. Griffiths’s team tracks a burner phone to link Ariel’s ransom request to Wolfe, turning what looks like domestic drama into international intrigue. Ariel relies on the fact that her conversations are recorded to divulge the contents of her NDA. These phone calls are key to the unmasking Wolfe. Ariel and John’s calls are their performance of marriage while they exchange their real motives and feelings face-to-face. Communication technology is an instrument of both concealment and revelation.
