Identity and Theft in The Divorce: A Theme Analysis

Thematic Claim: Identity as a Stolen Commodity

In The Divorce, identity is not a stable, self-determined trait but a commodity that can be stolen, falsified, and weaponized. Freida McFadden constructs a world where characters seize or manipulate the identities of others—most profoundly through the kidnapping of an infant and the fabrication of paternity—to secure love, family, or revenge. The novel argues that when identity becomes a possession to be taken, it corrodes every relationship it touches, leaving the original owner (Veronica) and the thief (Naomi) equally damaged.

1. Naomi’s Theft: Kidnapping and False Paternity

The most literal identity theft is Naomi’s abduction of Dominic (later renamed Teddy) from a drugged-out Clay Barkley. As she narrates in Chapter 63, Naomi discovered the infant in an unlocked car at a rest stop, the father unconscious from drugs. Convinced she was “saving” the baby, she took him, created a false birth certificate naming Jeremy Roth as the father, and later married Jeremy to give Teddy a “great life.” This theft erases Dominic’s identity entirely: his name, his mother Veronica, and his biological heritage. Naomi’s justifications—she couldn’t conceive, the father was a junkie—highlight how identity theft is often rationalized as rescue, yet the act remains a violation.

The false paternity deepens the theft. By listing Jeremy as the father, Naomi not only steals Veronica’s son but also fabricates a family identity for Jeremy. Jeremy later discovers the truth via a secret paternity test (epilogue), yet he chooses to keep the lie alive, even murdering Clay and planning Naomi’s death. Thus, identity theft becomes a chain: Naomi steals Teddy/Dominic; Jeremy steals the truth from Naomi and Veronica.

2. Jeremy’s Identity Manipulation: Gaslighting and Financial Erasure

Jeremy’s form of identity theft is subtler: he attempts to erase Naomi as a person and a mother. During the divorce, he uses Leonard Hardwick (note: Hardwick is Jeremy’s lawyer, not a character link listed; use available links) to cancel her credit cards (Chapter 9) and drain the joint account. He then successfully gaslights her, painting her as unstable at Teddy’s birthday party (Chapter 37), leading to her arrest in front of everyone. This public scene is designed to strip Naomi of her identity as a competent mother, aligning with Jeremy’s long-term plan to frame her for crimes she didn’t commit.

Jeremy also manipulates Veronica’s identity by hiding his knowledge of Teddy’s true parentage. He presents himself as the devoted father and husband, while secretly orchestrating murders. His identity as a loving family man is a performance that enables him to steal Teddy’s genetic identity and Naomi’s freedom.

3. Veronica’s Quest: Reclaiming a Stolen Identity

Veronica’s arc is the inverse of Naomi’s: she must recover the identity of her son Dominic, which was stolen before he could know it. In Chapter 63, after seeing a photo of Theodore Roth, she realizes the uncanny resemblance to Clay and tracks the family. Her investigation—following Jeremy to a park, watching Teddy from a bench (Chapter 54)—is a desperate attempt to reclaim a connection that was violently severed.

Yet Veronica’s own identity is complicated. She was once in a relationship with Clay, a drug addict, and her son was taken while she was presumably absent. The novel does not exonerate her entirely; her pregnancy with Jeremy (Chapter 45) suggests she is willing to forge new identities to secure her future. When she discovers the truth, her rage leads her to destroy Teddy’s birthday present, mirroring Naomi’s earlier destructive impulses. Identity theft, McFadden shows, can make victims into perpetrators.

Symbol Connections

Complexity and Contradiction

The theme resists a simple victim-perpetrator binary. Naomi kidnaps a baby but genuinely loves Teddy; she sees herself as a rescuer, not a thief. Jeremy protects Teddy through murder—a twisted form of care. Veronica wants her son back but is willing to destroy his birthday. Even Ezra Fletcher, Naomi’s lawyer, participates in the battle over Teddy’s custody, treating the child as an asset to be won.

Moreover, the novel questions whether identity can ever be truly reclaimed. The epilogue, narrated by Jeremy, reveals that Teddy will never know his origins. The false identity Naomi created is now the only identity Teddy has. Veronica’s quest, however sympathetically portrayed, cannot undo six years of stolen life. The theft of identity is permanent; the novel offers no restoration, only further violence.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Naomi justify stealing Dominic, and does the novel endorse her reasoning?
   Answer: Naomi justifies the kidnapping by claiming the baby was in danger from Clay’s drug use. The novel portrays her as a sympathetic narrator but ultimately condemns her actions: her theft deprives Veronica of six years with her son and leads to multiple deaths. The epilogue, where Jeremy triumphs, undermines Naomi’s self‑image as a savior.

2. In what ways does Jeremy steal Naomi’s identity during the divorce proceedings?
   Answer: Jeremy cancels Naomi’s credit cards, drains the joint account, and calls the police to have her removed from Teddy’s party, branding her as “combative.” He also plants evidence of poisoning and gaslights her into doubting her sanity. These actions are as much an identity theft as Naomi’s original kidnapping.

3. Why does Veronica destroy the birthday present she bought for Teddy?
   Answer: Veronica destroys the robot car in rage after seeing Naomi unwrap it. This act mirrors Naomi’s earlier destruction of the stuffed elephant. Both women, feeling their identity as mothers threatened, lash out at objects that symbolize their lost connection to Teddy.

4. How does the symbol of the kitchen knife relate to the theme of identity theft?
   Answer: The knife appears missing from Naomi’s apartment after Veronica’s visit, suggesting an intruder. It links physical threat to the theft of Naomi’s security and identity. Later, the knife symbolizes the violence that identity theft inevitably invites.

5. What contradiction does the novel present about the possibility of reclaiming a stolen identity?
   Answer: Veronica discovers the truth and wants Teddy back, but by the epilogue, Jeremy has succeeded in keeping Teddy (renamed Dominic) while eliminating Naomi. Teddy will never know his origins. The novel suggests that stolen identity can be discovered but not fully restored; the damage is permanent.