FRQs

In the novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Victoria E. Schwab employs Addie's "gift" of immortality and her curse of being forgotten by everyone she meets in order to convey Addie's ability to be free while also facing extreme isolation, ultimately illustrating that while some things may be initially seen as an advantage, there are always consequences to consider.

To begin, Schwab initially uses Addie's gift to show the advantages of being immortal. In the beginning of the novel, Addie is being forced into marriage with a man she does not love. She also longs to see the world and experience things outside of her small town in 1700's France. So she begins to pray to the gods for an escape and meets Luc who grants her the gift of immorality. Because Addie is stuck in a time where women have strict societal expectations, she is willing to make a deal for more time. Consequently, this deal grants her freedom from these expectations through her ability to travel the world and experience many different types of cultures, people, and even major historical events. These freedoms also gives her access to more knowledge, something that was not often available to women in the 1700's, and gives her a different perspective on life and time itself. Therefore, Addie's gift of immortality can be seen as an advantage through the freedoms it grants her from societal expectations. Schwab continues to show Addie's gift of immorality as an advantage through her lasting impact on others.  Although no one can remember Addie herself, she is still able to make small marks on the world through her interactions with people. She has been able to inspire artists, musicians, and writers with their works through her stories and memorable personality. Because Addie cannot physically leave a mark on the world herself, she has been able to find a way to leave an impact through others by inspiring them. Consequently, she influences the world without being directly recognized. Not only that, but with her gift of immortality, she is also able to influence historical events which helps to shape cultures throughout centuries. Therefore, Addie's gifts are an advantage due to the impact she is able to make on the world through others. 

On the other hand, this deal comes with a curse of not being able to be remembered by anyone she meets, leading to many disadvantages to her "gift".  Addie's disadvantages start with her struggle to survive comfortably. Since Addie is cursed with not being remembered by anyone she meets, she is forgotten by her parents. This forces her from a young age to be on her own and watch people grow old and die, while she stays the same. She also is unable to hold a job or a place to live. Because no one remembers her, Addie cannot hold a job, rent an apartment, or own property in her name. Consequently, she is forced to constantly start over, stealing or manipulating people just to eat and sleep. This leads to instability and discomfort in her life by forcing her to take desperate measures just to live comfortably. Therefore, her "gift" that may give her some freedom is actually a disadvantage due to the instability it forms. Additionally, the negative effects of her "gift" continue with her inability to form meaningful connections with others.  Everytime Addie meets someone, they forget her as soon as she leaves, forcing her to start over again and again. Since no one can remember her, Addie cannot form lasting relationships or meaningful connections. Consequently, this creates extreme loneliness because Addioe is never able to truly belong anywhere. The rare situation where Henry is able to remember her highlights just how painful this aspect is to her, because it shows her what a real connection feels like. Even though Addie can sometimes influence people or the world around her, she is never able to stay in someone's life for long. Therefore, Schwab uses this isolation to show that the consequences of Addie's "gift" outweigh its advantages. 

All in all, Schwab uses Addie's immortality and her inability to be remembered by anyone to illustrate that gifts can have both positive and negative effects. While immortality allows Addie to experience the world in unique ways, the inability to be remembered causes extreme loneliness and isolation. Through Addie's life story, Schwab suggests that what may first seem to be a blessing can ultimately become a burden. 

In the novel Vicious, Victoria E. Schwab employs character deception through the Victor and Eli's opposing motives in order to convey how both characters justify their actions despite putting others at risk, ultimately illustrating that self deception can blur the line between hero and villain. 

To begin, Schwab initially utilizes Victor Vale's manipulation of others and himself in order to demonstrate how the need to achieve more and revenge can lead people to justify their actions. One example of this would be when Victor works with Sydney but doesn't tell her everything about his plans because he wants to stay in control. Because getting reveng e on Eli matters more to him, Victor is willing to lie to people to achieve this. Consequently, his actions put other people in danger, even though he believes he has a good reason for doing so. Therefore, by showing Victor's willingness to put others at risk for his own advantage, Schwab is able to show how people can blur the line between right and wrong when they are deceiving themselves and others. Another example is how Victor convinces himself that hurting and killing people is okay because Eli Betrayed him first. Because he feels like he deserves revenge after what happened to him, he believes his actions are a way of him getting justice. Consequently, this leads him to be blind to what he's doing and not realize the severity of his actions. Therefore, through Victor's self-deception, Schwab highlights how people can think they are right, even when they are clearly in the wrong. 

Furthermore, Schwab moreover utilizes Eli's self belief that he is morally superior in order to demonstrate how fear and a need to prove oneself can change someone's sense of right and wrong. One example of this is when Eli kills other ExtraOrdinaries and says it is his duty because he thinks they are unnatural. Because Eli is deceiving himself to be a hero rather than a villain, he is bale to justify what he is doing by using religion. Consequently, he ignores the fact that he is hurting innocent people and the line between what is right and wrong for him is blurred. Therefore, by using Eli's desperate measures to prove to himself that he is good, Schwab shows how people don't always see when they are in the wrong when they have themselve's deceived. To continue, another example is when Eli refuses to see himself as an ExtraOrdinary, even though he has powers too. Because Eli does not want to admit he is an ExtraOrdinary, like the people he is trying to destroy, he decieves himself into thinking he is better than them. Consequently, this shows he is willing to lie to himself so he can keep believing he is right. However, this self deception makes him even more dangerous because he never looks back on his actions and realize they are wrong. Therefore, by using Eli's ignorance towards his wrong actions, Schwab highlights how people's self deception can make it harder for them to realize when they are in the wrong.

All in all, through both Victor and Eli, Schwab demonstrates how deception can lead people to believe their actions are morally right, vene when actually in the wrong. She shows how  deception is not just about lying to other people, but also can be lying to oneself. Their motives prove that when people are too focused on their own beliefs, they can lose their sense of right and wrong.