Cigarettes Symbol Analysis

Dexter and Emma both smoke cigarettes at various points in their lives, and cigarettes represent the power of addiction and the self-destructive consequences that it can have. When Dexter is in his 20s, he smokes cigarettes without considering the consequences, even doing so openly with his mother in Rome. While his mother’s death from cancer could theoretically prompt Dexter to reconsider the consequences of his addiction, Dexter finds old habits difficult to give up and continues to smoke while hiding his smoking from those around him. It becomes clear that nicotine isn’t the only addiction in Dexter’s life, as he also drinks to excess with consequences for his TV presenter job and has a series of shallow relationships with women that prevent him from achieving a deeper level of intimacy. All of these addictions come together in the cigarette girls at Dexter’s favorite restaurant, who embody the appearance of sensual pleasures and old-fashioned glamor—but who ultimately don’t care about Dexter and serve only to distract him from the fact that the fish the restaurant serves isn’t even defrosted.

Emma looks down on many of Dexter’s life choices, but she also isn’t immune to the pull of cigarettes. She reaches for them in particular during moments of anxiety, like when she learns that Dexter is about to marry Sylvie and become a father. She knows that cigarettes are bad for her and feels particular shame when her former student Sonya comes up to her while she’s smoking a cigarette. For Emma, cigarettes represent how her anxiety sometimes manifests as self-destructive behaviors that prevent her from living up to her ideals. Dexter and Emma’s addiction to cigarettes also shows the degree to which forces beyond their control can dictate their actions and steer the course of their lives when they are unwilling or unable to put themselves on a healthier and more intentional path toward healing.