#ambiguities

So, Pierre reveres his father (and grandfather) as heroes, virtuous, manly, kind etc. and this part shows Pierre’s disillusionment w that idea, since he’s received a letter from his father’s bastard daughter asking him for help. the part i’m at is a flashback explaining the story of a portrait he has that was given to him by an aunt. It shows his father, before he married his mom, presumably while he was in love with a French emigré (hinted to be the mother of his daughter), and was painted in secret by Pierre’s uncle. Pierre’s mother dislikes the portrait (though she doesn’t know Pierre has it hidden in his closet) and preferes a portrait of her late husband painted while they were married…… pierre’s weird relationship with the portrait… the narrator’s weird posture with all of this (“Pierre’s dad was a SLUT. anyway”). being so normal about all of this