"A bridge is a passage…but it is also a trap.”
Billy while teaching Kathleen “The most” tennis move delivers this quote. The bridge represents the emotional and psychological passages Kathleen traverses throughout her life. Kathleen’s relationships, particularly with Billy and Virgil, act as these bridges. The idea of a bridge being both a passage and a trap mirrors her journey—crossing emotional barriers to find love or purpose, while also becoming trapped in the complexities of her choices. In Kathleen’s life, her marriage to Virgil, the affair with Billy, and her past as a tennis champion are all bridges she has crossed. Each relationship or decision offers her a new passage but also ties her to the expectations and consequences that follow. This duality is at the heart of her internal conflict. This tension between freedom and entrapment resonates deeply in her affair, where she realizes that her desires may never lead to true liberation.
"Kathleen had married Virgil Beckett precisely because he wasn’t like any other boy she ever knew — and because he was exactly what she, as a young girl, had wanted a husband to be."
The statement reflects Kathleen’s reasoning behind marrying Virgil. It highlights the dissonance between her youthful ideals and the reality of her adult life. Kathleen’s marriage to Virgil is rooted in comfort and security—qualities she believed were essential for a successful partnership. However, this decision is tinged with a sense of resignation. Virgil represents a safe option, unlike the passionate and uncertain relationship she had with Billy. As Kathleen matures, she realizes that this “safe” choice has left her unfulfilled and emotionally distant. Kathleen’s idealized vision of marriage shaped by societal expectations contrasts with the complex reality of adult relationships. This realization plays a significant role in Kathleen’s reflections throughout the novel.
"She would let him get it all out, and when he was finished telling her the truth about the man he wanted to be, but wasn’t, she could tell him the truth about the woman she was. Wanted to be. Kathleen was prepared to tell him everything."
This passage speaks to the heart of Kathleen's emotional journey. Her marriage to Virgil has reached a point where both of them are hiding truths about who they are and what they want from each other and in life. Kathleen is waiting for Virgil to reveal his disappointments and shortcomings. Meanwhile, she is also preparing to share her confessions. The statement “the man he wanted to be, but wasn’t” reflects Virgil’s sense of failure—he never became the man he imagined himself to be. For Kathleen, this moment represents a desire for honesty and emotional intimacy. It also highlights the deep disconnect between her and Virgil. The truth she wishes to share is her affair with Billy and the life she wishes she could have led. Thus, this passage highlights the difficulty of reconciling one’s internal desires with the roles society imposes on individuals.
