Irony of Redemption
After the death of her mother, George chooses to punish herself through grief as a means to relieve some of her pain. In one instance she decides to watch pornography frequently because of a haunting video of a young girl and an older gentleman. Through watching this crudity, she reminds herself of the girl’s pain and suffering in turn expunging her own pain.
Irony of Obsession
Akin to every teenager, George is dismissive of her mother’s obsessions ranging from frescoes to British intelligence services. Following her death, she feels guilty about her attitude and wishes to remember her mother through her passions. Ironically, George becomes obsessive about art and frescoes like her mother despite her previous reservations.
Irony of Meaning
The title refers to several aspects of the novel including the double or hidden message in visual art. As George learns about Del Cossa’s frescoes from her mother, she grasps the allegorical meaning of the surface images. Moreover, the images below the surface that came before the easily visible layer. For example, Del Cossa’s “May” holds double meanings that are ironic to each other.
Paradox of Duality
The common motif in the narrative is the hold that the dead have on the living. Therefore, George contends with her mother’s death by reconciling the fact she is gone but still exists in her memories. This duality continues in Del Cossa’s ‘resurrection’ that reveals that the female artist adopted the male gender to navigate the art scene.
