Big Summer

Cape Cod symbolizes wealth and buried secrets. It is where Robert has affairs that lead to secret children. It is also where Nick’s mother is brutally murdered. It is also where Drue gets murdered. Cape Cod is the setting for a lot of pain. And yet it is known for its beauty. In symbolizing the intersection of darkness and beauty, Cape Cod is both a setting and a motif. Something can be both beautiful and full of darkness at the same time, such as Drue.

Cape Cod is far from Daphne’s home in New York. By setting the murder in Cape Cod, Weiner allows Daphne to put distance between her and the past dictated by Drue.

This social media platform is where both Drue and Daphne build their careers as influencers. Instagram offers Daphne the opportunity to create a community of women who support one another through the journey of body positivity. It is a space, as defined by Daphne, which offers equality and the chance for marginalized voices to create culture. But it is also a space where people like Daphne can fabricate their identities and live inauthentically.