Tender is the Night: Book 3

Quote 1:

"There was some element of loneliness involved--so easy to be loved--so hard to love" (245).

Dick is having a conversation with Francisco Dick realizes that he has loved many friends and significant others. He carries the personality of each person but only has complete as the person himself. At first, it is noticeable that Dick Diver is loved by all, hence the "so easy to be loved" but he says it is "so hard to love". Previously, he says he has "early met and early loved" which contradicts his following statement of not being able to love. This portrays a perplexing concept. But if you approach it with another view point, the author could be referring to the personality itself easily loved but hard to love. It is easy to love a person's personality at a first encounter so you collect bits and pieces of it. But like everything, there are flaws in the personality you've attained. You've already attained it so it is hard to actually love it completely with the flaws. 

Quote 2:

"She only cherishes her illness as an instrument of power" (239).

Frau Kaethe Gregorovius visits Franz to check up on Nicole. Franz says Nicole is his responsibility since Dick is not present. He says that Nicole will forever be a patient. Kaethe mentions to Franz that she doesn't think Nicole is as sick as she makes everyone think. Kaethe says that Nicole uses her illness to get what she wants. She compares Nicole to Franz's Norma Talmadge, saying that Nicole is healthy and well enough to be at the cinema with them. During the conversation, she not only attacks Nicole, she attacks the Americans as a whole. Kaethe may have some dislike for Nicole, but her main bias is to be hateful towards Americans. She states that she hates all Americans except for Dick. However, she does admit Dick has flaws because she says he married Nicole for her money. Kaethe says that Nicole uses "her illness as an instrument of power"; however, she is actually saying that all Americans use their weaknesses to their advantage. Because of her preconception towards Americans and since Nicole is American, anything Nicole does means all Americans must do.