Major themes in Amsterdam by Ian Mcewan

Hypocrisy

Part of the scandal surrounding the Garmony photos involves the exposure of Julian

Garmony's hypocrisy. According to his publicly expressed political views, alternative

sexual expressions or lifestyles are not to be tolerated. Yet, in the photos that Molly

took, Julian himself indulges in cross-dressing.

Vernon Halliday and Clive Linley each have opposing opinions about what should be

done about the Garmony photos. Their differences contribute to each man accusing

the other of hypocrisy. Vernon wants desperately to publish the Garmony photos in

order to save the Judge and his position at the Judge. He also wants to prevent

Garmony from becoming Prime Minister. Clive believes it wrong to persecute

someone for his sexual proclivities and criticizes Vernon for even considering

publication of the Garmony photos. When Clive confides in Vernon that he witnessed

a possible assault in the Lake District, Vernon reprimands him for his inaction. Clive,

however, justifies his inaction by appealing to the demands of his work. The men's

differences in moral judgements concerning the Garmony photos and the Lake District

assault cause them each to accuse the other of hypocrisy. On one hand, Vernon

accuses Clive of hypocrisy because the latter is quick to criticize the former for doing

something that is arguably, morally wrong. Clive seems unwilling to take right action

concerning the Lake District assault. On the other hand, Clive accuses Vernon of

hypocrisy because Vernon demands that Clive act rightly and that he report to the

police immediately. Yet at the same time, Vernon is acting wrong by publishing the

Garmony photos.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Betrayal                                                                                                                 Vernon Halliday's professional demise seems driven principally by two major acts of

betrayal. First, Vernon betrays Molly by publishing the Garmony photos and secondly,

Frank Dibben betrays Vernon by helping him into a position from which he will fall

very publicly and disgracefully, thereby ruining Vernon's career.

When Vernon discloses to Clive his plans to publish the Garmony photos, Clive

accuses Vernon of betraying Molly. Clive argues that Julian Garmony trusted Molly

enough to let her take the photos. Now that Molly is deceased, if Vernon acted in a

way such as to violate the trust between Molly and Julian, Vernon would, in effect, be

betraying the trust between himself and Molly.

As Vernon pursues the Garmony story at the Judge, he receives the discreet help of

Frank Dibben. Frank acts as though he supports Vernon by encouraging him and by

helping him to convince other staff members that it is in the paper's best interests to

publish the photos. However, when a surprise press conference spoils the story on the

eve of publication day, it becomes clear that Frank was secretly helping Vernon so

that when the story went sour, Vernon would be left alone to defend himself while

Frank could secure himself a position of importance within the paper.

Euthanasia

Throughout the novel, euthanasia is in the background and it is pushed to the forefront

when the plot culminates in Amsterdam. After Molly's funeral, Clive is so moved by

the rapidness of Molly's physical and psychological deterioration that he asks Vernon

to promise to euthanize him if he ever suffers a fate similar to Molly's. After some

consideration, Vernon agrees to do so, only if Clive will do the same for him.

Meanwhile, journalists at the Judge have been working on a story about euthanasia,

according to which Dutch doctors have been abusing the liberal euthanasia laws in the

Netherlands to commit murder. Indeed, Clive and Vernon meet their tragic fates

precisely because each man plots to murder the other under the guise of committing  euthanasia.

Revenge

Much of the plot in Amsterdam is driven by the desire of various characters to exact

revenge on others. By making the Garmony photos available to Vernon, George Lane

gets revenge over Julian Garmony for making a fool of him. After Vernon and Clive's

friendship sours, each man plots to murder the other in order to gain revenge. In both

Vernon and Clive's cases, it seems that each man seeks revenge for the other's having

made plain what his moral shortcomings are.