Butterfly, there are multiple examples of how people manipulated and used another's desire and weakness for their own personal advantage. Despite the mental and physical sacrifices it could possibly require to carry out the deception, it appeared that the end result is worth it. There were multiple deceptions among the same parties. Helga and Gallimard deceived each other; Song deceived Gallimard; and Gallimard deceived himself. Though deceit is always looked at as a negative aspect of a person, every participant gained something and revealed something about them during or after the process. .
In the marriage of Helga and Gallimard, neither were in it because they were emotionally invested; but instead has an ulterior motive for the union. Neither of them really wanted someone to love or someone to share a life and companionship with; they both were interested in bettering their social status. In Act one Scene six, you hear Gallimard's thoughts on his marriage to Helga. After hearing Helga say "My father was ambassador to Australia ."" His response was "Hearing that brought me to the altar-where I took a vow renouncing love. No fantasy woman would ever want me, so, yes, I would settle for a quick leap up the career ladder. Passion I banish, and in its place "practicality- (14). Even Helga divulges her original incentive was to gain social status. After Gallimard tells her he has had a mistress for eight years, she articulates "I knew you would the day I married you .I knew that you were not everything you pretended to be. But the pretense "going on your arm to the embassy ball the pretense was very good indeed-(75). The both entered into the union of marriage to gain a better outward appearance, not truly being concerned with any kind of emotional attachment to one another. Such deceit is evident in other aspects of the play; people settling and accepting deceit in order to acquire what they think they truly want.