Essay Questions

Is unanticipated love one of the main themes in ‘It's In His Kiss’ by Julia Quinn?

The love between Gareth and Hyacinth is unanticipated because neither of them is looking forward to a commitment in marriage. The main reason why Gareth is not interested in marriage is that he refuses an arranged marriage. On the other hand, Hyacinth has refused several proposals from different men, and she wants to remain an unmarried woman. However, when she meets Gareth, they get attracted to each other and get married, which contradict their principles.

What is the emblematic meaning of the diary as used by Julian Quinn?

The diary represents Freudian repression. Gareth and Hyacinth are doing their best to translate the diary, and in the end, they realize that there is something more between them. At first, both participants try to be independent and ignore the attraction between them. However, romance takes over, and they freely express their feelings toward each other.

How paradoxical is Gareth’s father?

After falling in love with Hyacinth, Gareth looks forward to formalizing his marriage. Ironically, his father tells him that he is not his biological father because his mother had an affair with another man before he was born. The reader finds the father's revelation satirical because it is untimely and unnecessary. Gareth receives this reality with shock, but he hates his father instead. However, he goes on to marry Hyacinth, and they live happily.