In this moment, the novel spotlights the true power dynamic at play in Paul and Anita’s relationship. Indeed, Anita is unwilling to even entertain the idea of Paul quitting his highly respected job, and though Paul might like to think the decision isn’t up to her, he still melts in her arms when she seduces him, suggesting that he’s not quite as strong-willed as he’d like to think. And yet, this doesn’t change the fact that he and Anita have opposing ways of looking at the world. What’s ironic, though, is that Anita isn’t necessarily wrong when she says that anyone can succeed if they’re smart—this, in fact, is the exact problem with this societal structure, which divides people up based on their intelligence. The problem isn’t that intelligent people have trouble succeeding, it’s that anyone with a low IQ has been cut off from attaining upward mobility. Therefore, Anita’s comment further reveals that she only cares about people who are already in the elite upper class.