Characters in this novel are beset by the Eros/Thanatos duality. In Freudian terminology, Eros represents the life instinct, which essentially is the desire to live, propagate, and create. Its counterpart, Thanatos, is the death drive, which moves towards destruction and violence. The main characters experience almost constant tension between these two warring drives.

The main characters begin the novel by embracing Eros. Johnny, at the beginning, is obsessed with sex—literally a life-creating pursuit. His footnotes contain repeated, in-depth descriptions of sexual encounters with many women. Sex allows him to forget about the manuscript and drives much of his day-to-day actions. He is also obsessed with Thumper, and her image occupies a great deal of his mental space. Johnny’s work on the manuscript at least partially represents Eros as well: as he reads, edits, and writes, he gives life to a project. He is aware that he is searching for something life-giving: “I want something else. I’m not even sure what to call it anymore except I know it feels roomy and it’s drenched in sunlight and it’s weightless and I know it’s not cheap” (20).

Will Navidson also embraces Eros when he and his family move into the house.