Everyone has a different interpretation of what love is and what it means to them. Relationships are complicated things. Every relationship is different, depending on the people involved. In the novels, "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" and "Surfacing", we see two individuals struggling with love and relationships. By getting to know the main characters in each of these stories, readers better understand why their relationships are so difficult to maintain.
In " The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz", Duddy meets Yvette. When the two first meet, the reader feels overwhelmed with joy that they have found each other. The way the two of them run off together to the lake seems so romantic. This feeling does not last long. Soon Duddy's true colors are revealed. Maybe he loves her, it is really hard to say. Duddy uses her, possibly not on purpose, but he does. It is obvious that Yvette adores Duddy, otherwise she would not agree to go along and help him. Duddy not only is good with money making schemes but also with manipulating people. He manipulates Yvette and clearly does not seem to care. It seems that he does not love her, but he loves the idea that she cares for him. He knows that without her he cannot get the land because he is a minor. Also, he trusts Yvette. " The farmers would be wary of a young Jew, they might jack up the prices or even refuse to sell, but another .
French-Canadian would not be a suspect." ( Richler 100) This quote is an example of the way Duddy thinks. He begins to see Yvette as a tool to help him get what he wants. I feel that the only reason he is nice to her at all is in order to get the land he wants. Also, Duddy uses her for sexual reasons. He has little experience with women. Yvette is probably the first woman that Duddy had a sexual relationship with and he does not want to lose that. He is able to make love to Yvette whenever he wants even if Yvette does not want to.
