How does Olivia remember her childhood, and how does that differ from how her father remembers her childhood? How have Olivia’s and Vincent’s pasts affected their actions and relationship?
Her father remembers the good times. Olivia remembers the sad times when her father sent her away to school and she felt he had no time for her. My heart broke for Vincent when we learned the reason he sent Olivia off to school. She reminded him so much of Poppy and his heartache was just too much. He loved his sister. They had a special relationship.
Olivia remembers her childhood initially with happiness, but then felt deserted by her mother and then by her father. Her father felt he was protecting her from his own sadness and unhappiness. I think we forget that sometimes parents have a burden that is so heavy for them that they cannot function as a loving parent and they make bad choices, even out of love.
Obviously both parents’ actions affected Olivia’s relationship with them both. Thus her rational for her new identity.
Olivia remembers her father as distant, and cold. And probably the fear and suspicion that he may have murdered his siblings. I think she felt isolated and an outsider in her own family.
Vincent believes he loved Olivia. I think he sees himself damaged and doing the best he could. Not uncaring just not very affectionate. With the treasure hunts I think he thought he was connecting with her. Truth is oftentimes fragmented and more so when a family is shaped by trauma of some sort.
Vincent carried so much baggage, despair, loss and guilt that he could not be the parent his daughter needed. He did behave selfishly and what appears as without remorse until later, when looking to tell the story. But that was a high wall to try to get over. Olivia felt abandoned and angry her whole life and she was certainty justified in those feelings. The fact that they could come together even the little bit that they did was quite remarkable.