Essay Questions

What does the title of the novel represent?

The title of the novel “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” makes a full circle at the end, and invites an element of intertextuality into it. The obvious meaning of the title is Addie’s pact with the devil and her life after, the invisible life. It is an invisible life because she moves through people like a ghost, disappearing from their memory once she’s out of sight. The novel ends with the actual title of the book and the book itself being directly embedded with Henry Strauss writing the book about Addie’s life.

How is the idea of the devil interpreted in the novel?

The idea of the devil, and not the devil itself, is represented in the novel through the character of Luc. It is an idea because he is portrayed out of the context of religion, as a part of nature, a necessary element just like the opposing light is. He is not necessarily portrayed as evil, he is the only god that responds to Addie. More so, he is a personified consequence of people’s actions and decisions.

Why does Addie keep going back to Villon?

Addie keeps going back to Villon because she is unable to accept the loss of her humanity, the loss of her human life. She goes back there to reminisce on her life before Luc and wonder what her life could have been if she stayed. Nevertheless, she slowly accepts that even is she could go back in time to make different choices, she would have done the same without regrets. Every time she goes back, there is more visible change, and the traces of the past disappear, just like her anger and sadness disappear.