Sonya, played by Jessica Hecht, was an interesting character in the third season of The Sinner, one of many anthology dramas to gain attention of late. A recluse, of sorts, she was also a well-known artist whose paintings often went for significant amounts of money thanks to her wealthy clientele.
She poured a lot into her work, and people could see that, which is what made her paintings so compelling, and able to elicit powerful responses and emotions. She was able to capture the essence of her subjects in a way that showed her true talent.
That said, not everything about Sonya’s life was positive and happy.
A Lonesome Life At First
Sonya clearly enjoyed the solitude, living alone in the woods without much human contact helped her focus better on her work and produce amazing results. But it must have gotten lonely over time.
Of course, viewers should not feel sad for Sonya if that’s the way she chose to live. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to see her have human connection with a friend or family member from time to time. She does develop relationships and seems to want them over the course of the series, but at first, she’s very much alone.
Craves A Romance
While Sonya clearly loved living on her own and being able to focus on her work, it’s also obvious that she may have felt a lack of romance in her life. She was drawn to Harry (Bill Pullman) as soon as she met him, and while part of that might have been a genuine attraction, it also might have been her craving this kind of contact, conscious or otherwise.
Sonya might have chosen to live on such a big property by herself, and even enjoyed it. But given how quickly she and Harry hit it off and began spending a lot of time together, it seems there was something more there.
Had A Stalker
Sonya only mentioned it briefly, but when asked by the authorities if she thought there might have been any reason why Jamie – – played by Matt Bomer – and Nick (Chris Messina) would want to hurt her, and seemingly chose her as their victim, she mentioned having had a stalker in the past.
Not much else was divulged about this but it must have been frightening for Sonya, especially given her living situation.
Obsessed With Jamie
Jamie seemed to be able to have a hold on people, including Harry and Leela (Parisa Fitz-Henley). Sonya was another person to find him mysterious and fascinating, to the point that she became entranced with him, even after knowing that he was on the path to becoming a serial killer.
When he arrived at her home, instead of being scared, she tried to get him to model for her so she could take photos. The second time, she felt she could talk him down from killing her. She also followed him to take photos and visited his wife on multiple occasions. This was clearly not a healthy relationship and yet it consumed her.
Her Relationship With Harry Caused Her Stress
While the fact that Sonya and Harry fell for one another was cute and sweet, it also caused a lot of trouble for both of them. Their relationship made Jamie angry and also made Sonya a target. It also complicated things between Harry and Jamie.
It’s unfortunate that she could not simply have a happy relationship in her life that was only good.
Desperate For Connection Of Any Kind
It almost seemed as though Sonya was not only craving human contact but desperate for a connection of any kind. She pursued Harry almost off the bat. She became obsessed with Jamie. And she even went so far after his death as to forge a sort of friendship with his widow, Leela, despite the awkward connection they had to one another.
While there’s nothing wrong with making new friends and romantic interests, it seems Sonya was desperate to have a connection with anyone, despite the complicated way in which they crossed paths.
Couldn’t Separate Happiness And Pain
Sonya appeared to be unable to remove pain from her happiness. She would often press Harry, to talk about things that were very obviously uncomfortable for him, most notably in the end scene when she got him to cry about Jamie. It seemed like she was always focusing on some kind of pain and couldn’t disentangle herself from it.
As mentioned before, she also continued to engage in relationships that didn’t seem good for her, which makes viewers sad for her overall.
Too Focused On Her Career
Sonya was a successful painter with an undeniable talent but she seemed to have fully immersed her life into her career, which might explain why she always viewed people she came across as potential subjects and not actual people, trying to get to know them on a deeper level only for her selfish benefit.
This may have been the path Sonya chose to take, but it’s sad, nonetheless, since she seemed to only develop superficial relationships with others because of her choice to focus all of her energy on her work.
Thought A Grave Was Dug For Her
Imagine seeing a six-foot grave dug on your property and being told that it was suspected to have been meant for you? It’s a terrifying thought and one that should have jolted Sonya far more than it did.
Instead, she seemed to be more fascinated by the mind of the two men who dug the grave and what they had planned. She wanted to know more about the darkness versus actually being visibly creeped out by the grave. Still, it’s a scary occurrence.
Dealt With A Fatal Accident On Her Property
It’s heartbreaking to learn that not only was there a major accident on her property but also that someone died there. And that it was being treated as a potential homicide. But this is exactly how the season starts – with a bang.
Any time Sonya walked by that tree, she must have thought about the accident and what really happened that night. It’s enough to give anyone nightmares. And while Sonya outwardly handled it pretty well, she must have been harboring some fear deep down.
