Jim without his taking part, demonstrates her crafty nature. In addition, Margaret's incorporation of another man into the pageantry, who is supposedly in pursuit of Jim's title, is unquestionable evidence of Margaret's manipulation of Jim. Then, at the Summer Ball, Carol Goldsmith affirms this opinion: 'Throw her [Margaret] a life belt and she'll pull you under' (Amis, 1953, p.121). Simply, Carol is saying that when Jim is 'civil to accept' Margaret's invitations, he is setting himself up to be used, which is exactly what she will do,
             she [Margaret] feigns sexual avidity to entice, then denounce Jim...she shows no sympathy when he is in trouble with the Welches and uses her knowledge of his plight to coerce him...and she exploits him by manipulating him into paying for everything when they go out, even though he cannot afford it and she can' (Salwak, 1992, 27).
             Furthermore, it is extremely frustrating in that Dixon makes no attempt at freeing himself from this laborious relationship, which he recognizes as antagonistic, 'Dixon fought hard to drive away the opinion that, both as actress and script writer, she [Margaret] was doing rather well' (Amis, 1953, 76). Jim notes with precision that Margaret's behaviour is theatrical, and, is not natural, but planned ahead of time to secure a certain response; however, he chooses to ignore this. To make matters even worse for Jim, the time he spends with Margaret is always drab and displeasing, and as a result, he dreads encounters with her. For example, he is often 'averting his attention from the thought that Margaret would be there' (Amis, 1953, p.204). Despite his apprehensions about meeting with Margaret, Dixon again makes no effort to relieve himself of her acquaintance, 'in a variety of tones, [Jim] recognizes, but fails to act on, a discrepancy between what he ought to do or wants to do and what he in fact does' (McDermott, 1989, p.63). As a recurring theme throughout the boo...