Towards the end of the novel I think we really start to understand Irene as a character. In our last class discussion I was heading more towards sympathy for Irene because I felt as she was such a vulnerable person with so much in insecurities. These insecurities in turn make her jealous of Clare. But now I see Irene as a miserable person who is very harsh and judge mental towards Clare. She is jealous of Clare’s personality and how she controls the room especially in the scene of the dance. This jealousy towards Clare really brings me back to the question of did Irene murder Clare? And honestly I’m leaning more towards it.