The main character of the East is a buttoned up and suburban wife with secrets. She
does not fit in any one world, and that is what makes her compelling. Unlike other
characters in the movie, like her husband or ruthless boss, she is never completely
honest with who she is or what she wants. This is shown by her relationship with her
husband in the first portion of the movie. She clearly loves her husband, but lies to
him from the very beginning. He only can know part of her, he knows that she is up
for a promotion, but will not tell him what the promotion is. He can know that she is
travelling, but thinks it is Dubai. This ability for her to be both forthcoming about the
direction she is moving, and still hold her true destination and plan to herself is
foreshadowing for the relationship she will have with both the cult and her employer
in the climax of the movie. She lives in two worlds, one where she is honest and
direct working towards the goals of her partners, and one where at the same time she
is working towards her own agenda.
Sarah Moss is the identity of the character who is infiltrating the East; it is the
identity of Sara Moss that we learn who Jane Owens is. It is through this fake identity
that the real person behind the cover identity manifests itself. Ironically, the fake
identity of Jane is subtly shown throughout as the real identity. Sarah is listed as the
name of the character in the credits, and Sarah is the only name that the character
herself ever introduces herself as. This change from Jane into Sarah happens early in
