The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

The Phantom of the Opera - Week 4
March 31 - April 6
Chapters: 21 -Epilogue

1) This week we get to know who the Persian is and how he became acquainted with Erik. We also learn so much about Erik's underground lair. Did anything in these last few chapters surprise you? Was the explanation the Persian gave satisfying to you?

2) Erik's evil seems magnified in this section. The torture chamber is explained and he's holding Christine hostage forcing her to choose between marrying him or him killing everyone in the Opera House during a full performance. What do you think of Erik at the conclusion of the story?

3) Leroux wrote The Phantom of the Opera at a time when there was widespread French interest in Freudian psychoanalysis and particularly the libidinal/infantile/mother-seeking unconscious. Does Leroux successfully work this into his novel? Does any of this explain, to you, why Erik was the way he was? Does his lack of nurturing excuse anything he's done?

This concludes our reading of The Phantom of the Opera. I you enjoyed the book as much as I did. Thank you to all who participated.

I have mixed feelings about Erik. Certainly he had a horrible childhood, but his reactions to it are excessive and evil.

Rosemarie wrote: "I have mixed feelings about Erik. Certainly he had a horrible childhood, but his reactions to it are excessive and evil."

Yes, I absolutely agree.

Erik is definitely evil, but as for being able to resolve his childhood issues I’m not so sure. His mother wouldn’t even hold or kiss him; he always to hide his features, both as a child and an adult, and was never accepted by society. I imagine his hatred for people increased when he left home and had to display himself as a circus freak in order to make a living. The most moving part of his story to me was when he revealed that his first and only kiss was the one given to him by Christine. I don’t excuse the murders or torturing he committed. I’m just not sure he could have ever been a mentally healthy person with the hopelessness of his life. One thing that didn’t make sense to me was that the Persian said Erik helped build the Opera House. How did this come about? Did he wear a disguise?