Ripley Murdering Himself in Order

¶ … Ripley murdering himself in order to become the new Dickie,, why would he do that and analyze it,,,

"After Him"

Essentially, Patricia Highsmith's novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a work of literature that explores and questions the worth of morality. The character who typifies this search for the value of morality is Tom Ripley, who commits a number of fraudulent and violent deeds that render his characterization as decidedly amoral in a world in which the conventional morality of the West judges such actions as wrong or evil. The single action committed by Ripley that demonstrates his amorality is his murder of his friend Dickie Greenleaf. Ripley commits this crime due to the fact that he is a person without moral who desires the material comforts that the wealth and status of living a life as Greenleaf will give him.

No one should dispute that Tom's amorality is what leads him to kill Dicke and to assume his life in the pursuit of material wealth and the luxuries it can afford. Tom's amorality is evinced early one within this novel, as he feels no compunction about exaggerating the nature of his relationship with Dickie Greenleaf in order to get his father to fund a trip to Europe for him. The following quotation states as much. "Did he ever show you…his drawings? Dickie hadn't, but Tom said brightly "Yes! Of course he did" (Highsmith). This quote shows that Ripley deliberately lies to Greenleaf's father so the latter will think Ripley has some sway over Tom. The fact that he does not, yet pretends to, demonstrates that Tom is amoral and will do anything -- even kill Greenleaf -- to attain his goals. This amorality is alluded to in the following quote from another source that analyzes Ripley's character "…he certainly doesn't show empathy for any of his so-called friends or victims…" (Kimbofo). Ripley displays no empathy because he does not think his criminal activities are morally wrong.

Ripley's goals, of course, are to be wealthy and to afford the things that wealth can provides, which is why he kills Greenleaf, writes himself into the dead man's will, impersonates him afterwards. The following quotation uses a metaphor to prove that Ripley murders Greenleaf simply for money. "Dickie's money had given him only an added momentum on the road he had been travelling" (Highsmith). This quotation shows two key facts. One is that Ripley indeed murdered Greenleaf for the money the latter possessed, which Ripley appropriated. The second is that this appropriation of money and wealth was the direction Ripley's life was "travelling" -- which underscores the fact that he desires material wealth. By having him kill Greenleaf and impersonates him to get material wealth, the author demonstrates that Ripley is amoral and motivated by greed.