Ripley, the moral stance of the protagonist, Tom Ripley, is ambiguous. Tom Ripley wanted to be someone else; he was not satisfied with his low level scheming way of life. Tom wanted to start a new life in which he would have money and a charismatic personality. In the beginning Tom felt that he would do this in an honest and respectable way. One felt that Tom's morals although already proved un-satisfactory would change as he was presented with the opportunity of starting a new life in Europe. After meeting the parents of Dickie Greenleaf Tom begins to feel responsibility towards someone and something for the first time. Prior to his meeting Tom never felt a connection with anyone and that connection is what Tom Ripley's character craves so much. Once the craving was satisfied one was hopeful that Tom would proceed to become the person he wanted to be rather than living the same life filled with disappointment. .
As the book progresses the reader is sucked into the twisting morality and wants of Tom Ripley's character and soon finds themselves unable to distinguish between right and wrong. The reader is now unsure of who Tom is and what he/she wants for the protagonist. Tom's uncertainty of his own moral standpoint and values is what drives him to be so unsure of who he really is what he really wants. Since Tom's morals are constantly changing with his characters Tom feels guilt because ultimately he does want to be free of the paranoia that come along with disappointment in ones self. .
The reader sees Tom Ripley in four different ways, the first is Tom Ripley, a young boy living a paranoid life in New York with little direction and running IRS scams, then one sees Tom as Dickie Greenleaf; a well mannered man, with good morals, money, charisma and a family that loves him. The second version of the Tom Ripley character is similar to the first, but this character is seen only right before Tom kills Dickie and when something happens and Tom has to switch out of the roll of Dickie quickly and into another role.
