Quoyle's Development as a Major Theme in The Shipping News
             In Quoyle's opening line in The Shipping News, "A flemish flake is a spiral coil of one layer only. It is made on deck, so that it may be walked on if necessary," not only opens up the novel, but also opens up a connection between the type of rope and the man himself. Quoyle is a very dismal person, who lacks self-confidence. He has been told through his childhood by both his father and brother, that he is a lesser person and that nothing good will ever come from him. In many ways he seems to have been psychologically abused by the pair of them. Because of this reassurance from his family, Quoyle grew up to believe that he was inferior to most men. The resemblance, therefore of the opening line portrays the theme of the book. It sets up a correlation between Quoyle and the rope, both of which may be walked on if necessary. In The Shipping News, Annie Proulx portrays Quoyle's development and his search for identity as a major theme throughout the book.
             The opening description of Quoyle's father, who referred to his young son as a "lout," appeared to focus solely on young Quoyle's failures. As the story progressed, many expressions in the book showed that Quoyle had grown up with deep irrational feelings of guilt, failure and rejection. The opening theme of the book deals with Quoyle's abusive parents and how they inflicted feelings of guilt within Quoyle. During the course of the novel Quoyle's main struggle is battling these feelings.
             Quoyle marries a promiscuous woman, named Petal Bear, who gives him two children, Bunny and Sunshine. Though Petal is very abusive, Quoyle remains faithful to her: "Quoyle believed in silent suffering... The sharper the pain, the greater the proof. If he could endure now, if he could take it, in the end it would be all right. It would certainly be all right" (16-17). He blames himself for his...