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how can we apply psychoanalytical theory on The Wasted Vigil?

Heather what a wonderful question!
I might start by thinking about the family and substitute-family relationships... the characters fall into overlapping patt…morewhat a wonderful question!
I might start by thinking about the family and substitute-family relationships... the characters fall into overlapping patterns of the core triangle of "father/mother/child. " E.g. Lara and David as substitute daughter and son for Marcus (replacing the lost Zameen and the beautiful village boy whose name I don't think we ever learn); e.g. Zameen and her child who has a literal father (the Soviet rapist/rescuer) and at least two symbolic fathers (the nameless village boy Zameen loved, and David the American); e.g. David as an older brother-figure for James Palantine, (because James' father Christopher Palantine was a father-figure to David) thus recreating his relationship with his own lost older brother; et al...

I might also think about the dual nature of so many characters -- the Soviet rapist/rescuer; the Americans who allow a refugee camp to be bombed; the father-figures who are also killers and betrayers (Christopher Palantine); Casa's mix of attraction and rage toward Duina; Qatrina as a healer who is forced to maim (books and people) ... Maybe that's not exactly psychoanalytic, but I think characters are constantly finding their empathetic, caring, protective impulses perverted into actions that dominate, hurt, and kill. (less)

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