In A.S. Byatt's "The Children's Book," the complexities of betrayal and the struggle for identity are explored. The speaker acknowledges that being betrayed in a conventional way is more tolerable than experiencing the humiliation of being kept uninformed. This lack of transparency can lead to feelings of helplessness and dependency, which are profoundly degrading.
Moreover, being reduced solely to the role of a wife or dependent figure is depicted as an annihilating experience, stripping away one's individuality and agency. This emphasizes the importance of recognition and the desire for personal autonomy in relationships.