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Act 3, Scene 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in If We Were Villains, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Fate vs. Free Will
Identity and Disguise
Love and Sexuality
Theatre and Corruption
Summary
Analysis
Oliver and James approach the memorial service. They agree that it’s odd that it’s being held on the beach of the lake where Richard died. As Oliver recalls aloud their group’s evening by the lake at the beginning of the term, the conversation turns to Meredith. Grimacing and looking away from Oliver, James scolds him for sleeping in the same bed as Meredith so soon after Richard’s death. He points out that it leaves a bad impression and will cause the spread of rumors—or worse, suspicion from the police. Oliver is confused and surprised, reminding James twice that they didn’t kill Richard and that his death was an accident. After the second time, James calms down suddenly and apologizes.
Over the course of one term, the group has irrevocably changed; they’re not the same people they were when they celebrated the Julius Caesar cast list. This scene marks the third time that James has objected to Oliver and Meredith’s relationship, and at this point, all signs seem to point toward him being jealous. The way he frames the threat of the police is also very defensive, however, which Oliver picks up on—James is talking about avoiding suspicion as if they killed Richard, and Oliver doesn’t think of their choice that way.
Themes
