“The Girl on the Train” discusses the social and cultural system of the early 2010s. Some factors that characterized the period include gender role depiction, social media influence, perception, the development of the domestic thriller genre, and the state of London and England in the 2010s.
Historical Context
The novel reflects the financial crisis 2008 that turned residents against asylum seekers and immigrants and significantly affected the economy of London in the 2010s. This deterioration manifests in the characters, especially Rachel Watson, who loses her job and strives to survive.
Although “Girl on the Train” has a fictitious plot, its setting is London and neighboring environs. The title references the commuter train regularly congested with tired passengers. The train is always behind schedule because of irrelevant stops owing to broken signals. In the novel, Paula Hawkins portrays a suburban community with battered Victorian-style houses, which depict a decline in the city.
Additionally, the 2010s was a decade of fast technological development in London. Around the time “The Girl on the Train” was published, social media was already prevalent in contemporary society. Platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram quickly became popular, and users exchanged pictures and other content. Awareness of police brutality and racial discrimination got raised using hashtags like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter.
“The Girl on the Train” displays characters using phones and computers to stay connected with family and friends and get the latest news and entertainment. Social media also defines the opinions of others by characters and themselves in the novel. Rachel Watson turns to social media to divert her attention from her woes and stalk the new family of her ex-husband. Anna Watson fights to maintain a perfect image on social media.
“The Girl on the Train” contrasts the public personalities of the characters with their private lives. The novel also captures the monotony and detachment that can come with modern urban life. Rachel’s daily train rides through suburban London symbolize her alienation from society and herself. Commuting offers her a sense of anonymity, as she is surrounded by strangers, giving her time to observe others from a distance and project her opinions on them.
Author’s Context
Paula Hawkins is a British author born in 1972 in Salisbury, Zimbabwe. She studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Keble College, University of Oxford. She worked as a journalist in London and a freelancer for different publications before starting a literary career.
In her 20s, Paula was inspired to write a form of crime fiction because of “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. As someone who worked in journalism, especially the financial aspect, Hawkins understood how the post-recession world affected people and their finances. She infuses her knowledge into the characters. For example, Rachel loses her job and experiences financial strain. She also battles with loneliness and depression.
Paula admits to enjoying reading psychological thrillers like Megan Abbott and Harriet Lane. She loves books by Gillian Flynn, Kate Atkinson, and Cara Hoffman. However, she does not think any of them directly influenced her book. Instead, her writing shows her interest in human psychology and emotional struggles.
Books by the Author
Hawkins has often cited her admiration for flawed and unreliable characters as a driving force behind her work. Under the pseudonym Amy Silver, she wrote a few romantic comedies that did not gain much popularity. She switched to tragedy and discovered her talent.
“The Girl on the Train” resonates with readers who love psychological thrillers that explore the complexities of human behavior and relationships. It tells the story of an alcoholic woman who is still in love with her ex-husband. She witnesses a murder in her community but is too intoxicated to give reasonable information. As she puts the pieces together, she discovers that the perpetrator is a trusted ally. As a global sensation, it sold millions of copies and spent over 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
“Into the Water” centers on the mysterious deaths of women in a local river. It analyzes themes of memory, trauma, and secrets. The town’s history and complex relationships between characters are explained using various perspectives. “Into the Water” solidified Hawkins’ reputation as a skilled author of psychological suspense.
“A Slow Fire Burning” tells the story of three women connected by the violent murder of a young man on a houseboat. The novel explains how grief and anger shape lives, illustrating the experiences of these women from their point of view. The plot eventually reveals the circumstances surrounding the victim. The absence of vivid scenes in “A Slow Fire” is outweighed by its refined and captivating prose.
Cultural Context
In 2013, England witnessed many notorious crimes that gained media popularity. The kidnapping and murder of five-year-old April Jones, the trial of Amanda Knox, the murder of Lee Rigby, and Ian Watkins’ trial for child assault were some of them. These cases arguably promoted a climate where violence was a serious concern to citizens and fueled attraction to the mysterious aspects of life.
The popularity of these events led to a revived interest in villainy and thrillers that shared related concepts. The public’s increasing fascination with the investigation of felonies and the dangers beneath the surface of everyday life led to the growth of the thriller genre.
Gender roles in London in the 2010s were transforming as more fluid gender identities, as well as non-traditional gender duties, became more famous. Fields like finance and politics saw the ingress of women even though there was a notable imbalance in pay and career growth of both genders. The struggle for equality also permeated the home life. Unconventional family arrangements like single-parenthood and same-gender parents gained tangible approval. Emphasis was on partners sharing workloads and responsibilities.
In “The Girl on the Train,” Rachel Watson is a divorced woman whose addiction to alcohol is because of her inability to have a child. She finds succor in drunkenness and eventually loses her husband to it.
On the other hand, Anne Watson is a wife and mother committed to traditional gender roles, yet she struggles with unfulfillment. She constantly tries to convince herself she is happy with her choices when she is not.
Literary Context
Historically, the domestic thriller genre is traced to the 1940s and 1950s when authors like Daphne du Maurier and Patricia Highsmith delved into the darker sides of local life. The genre became more familiar in the 1980s and 1990s with writers like Ruth Rendell and Tana French.
Upon this existing literary culture, Paula Hawkins created the story of “The Girl on the Train.” However, she initiated new features, like untrustworthy narrators and multiple viewpoints. Using confusing and unpredictable accounts kept the reader anxious and uncertain until the end. Along with this, various narrations presented complex and different perspectives. Paula Hawkins’ creative descriptive style generated many imitations and brought the genre to a broader audience.
The subgenre of “The Girl on the Train” focuses on the challenges of domestic life, with personal conflict, envy, and secrets. This form of thriller usually examines the minds and motivations of humans.
Although the idea of an unreliable narrator has existed for years, the term got coined by Wayne C. Booth in “The Rhetoric of Fiction.” This work of literary criticism stated that unreliable narrators involved a style that told the story through a describer whose credibility is compromised owing to biases or a deliberate attempt to misdirect the reader.
There was a sudden rise in artful and experimental writing styles in the 2010s. Several London-based writers tested various storylines and narrations to produce more complicated and distinctive works. An unreliable narrator is used to conceal clues, mislead the reader, and challenge assumptions. The story also builds the plot around the psychological depth of the characters rather than their actions by focusing on the flawed, imperfect sides.
Comparison with other Books
Similarly to “The Woman in Cabin 10,” the book explains the impact of emotional distress and trauma on comprehension and trust. Like Laura Blacklock, Rachel Watson’s account gets dismissed due to their mental issues. While “The Woman in Cabin 10” happens in an isolated, claustrophobic setting, “The Girl on the Train” uses the suburban environment to explore emotional and mental disconnection.
“The Girl on the Train” also shares similarities with “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. They feature unreliable protagonists whose narrations complicate the plot. While “Gone Girl” focuses on a toxic marital relationship and deception, “Girl on the Train” centers more on Rachel’s battle with addiction and her obsessive voyeurism.
Critical Analysis
Immediately after its publication, “The Girl on the Train” rose to prominence. Praised for its fascinating plot and complex characters, it became a bestseller. Over the years, the book has garnered different evaluations. For example, some critics have analyzed Hawkins’ portrayal of addiction and mental health and posited that it supports the societal stereotypes about women and alcoholism.
Impact of the Book
“The Girl on the Train” popularized domestic noir and inspired other authors to create similar works. A wide range of audiences accepted its themes of trauma and perception. The success of the book displayed the market potential for psychological mysteries.
The themes of the book mirror contemporary issues like mental health awareness and the effects of trauma. Real-life challenges are explained using the primary characters. Also, the portrayal of the desire to maintain a perfect image and hidden insecurities show current concerns about identity.
