logo

64 pages 2 hours read

Patric Gagne

Sociopath: A Memoir

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2024

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Symbols & Motifs

Chocolate Cake

The motif of chocolate cake illustrates Patric Gagne’s exploration of normalcy and domestic contentment in the memoir. Initially, making chocolate cake represents the author’s relationship with her mother. Mrs. Gagne’s role as a pillar of stability and safety in her daughter’s life is embodied by their interactions in the kitchen. Sitting under the table while her mother meticulously cuts cake layers with a thread, Patric feels safe to recount her antisocial activities to her mother without reprisals. However, Mrs. Gagne’s increasing despair at her daughter’s social transgressions and her own failing marriage is demonstrated when Patric finds her crying over an unevenly cut cake. Her inability to perfect the layers represents Mrs. Gagne’s inability to maintain a harmonious home life despite her best efforts.

When Patric starts living with David, she copies her mother’s cake-making technique, trying to replicate her “Southern-style housekeeping” (16). Her actions reflect the belief that a blissful domestic life with David will cure her sociopathy. Using a thread to cut equal layers demonstrates Patric’s initial care and satisfaction in the role. The homemaking activity makes her think she has achieved the domestic idyll. However, Patric soon finds this role unsatisfying, and her symptoms reemerge, echoing the unhappiness of her mother.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 64 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,600+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools