Senso Response

Livia’s conceited, self-righteous nature permits Remegio’s into her life. Livia believes she is gloriously beautiful and all men crave her while all women desire to be her. “Men’s eyes would light up with a gleam of desire whenever they looked at me… The women too… would… admiringly examine me” (20). This conceited personality built a “impregnable fortress” (21), around her which made her believe that she herself could not be fooled or wronged. She thought the only people capable of penetrating her fortress were those who showed affection for her. Remegio is able to recognize this cockiness that contains Livia and penetrates her weakness to use her for her money. Livia’s self-infatuation with her beauty and social status clouds her realization of Remegio’s intentions.

While Remegio makes the moves to use Livia, her self-righteous attitude allows him to continue using her. But it goes beyond the fact that she sees herself as an impenetrable fortress to wrongdoing. In fact, Remegio satisfies Livia by asking her for money because she feels needed. Even when she finds him with other women (many in fact), Remegio promises to stay loyal to her and that furthers her feeling of being needed. Livia thrives for the instance of pain Remegio places unto her because it reminds her that she is not godly. Being so infatuated with herself, she believes she is flawless and perfect. But she doesn’t want to be a god, because then in the realm of gods she would only be ordinary. She would much rather be righteous in the realm of humanity.