Killings is a short story by Andre Dubus that explores the theme of violence and its consequences. The story centers around the murder of a young man named Matt Fowler and the various characters who are affected by it.
The story begins with Matt's murder, which is committed by a man named Richard Strout. Strout is motivated by his belief that Matt had an affair with his wife, and so he kills him in a fit of jealousy and rage. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Strout's motivations are more complex than just jealousy. He is also driven by a sense of shame and a need to protect his family's reputation.
As the story unfolds, we see how Matt's murder affects the lives of the other characters. Matt's father, Frank, is devastated by the loss of his son and becomes consumed by grief and anger. He struggles to come to terms with the fact that his son has been taken from him, and he becomes obsessed with finding justice for Matt's murder.
Meanwhile, Matt's mother, Mary Ann, is also struggling to cope with her son's death. She becomes isolated and withdrawn, unable to process her grief and find a way to move on. The story also explores the impact of Matt's death on his girlfriend, Ruth, and her family. Ruth is left to cope with the loss of her boyfriend and the guilt of not being able to protect him.
As the story progresses, we see the various characters struggling to come to terms with their grief and the complex emotions that arise in the aftermath of Matt's murder. Dubus does an excellent job of exploring the different ways that violence can affect people and the different ways that people cope with loss and grief.
Overall, Killings is a powerful and thought-provoking story that explores the theme of violence and its consequences. Through its compelling characters and its poignant depiction of grief and loss, Dubus has created a story that is both emotionally moving and deeply thought-provoking.
Killings by Andre Dufus
At first, Matt is afraid that he cannot be alone with Richard for any length of time. The description of the abduction of the killer creates a mental picture to the reader of how the father planned to obtain the murderer and exact his revenge. After he kills Strout, Matt is immediately left with sense of isolation; undoubtly because of his morality and has guilt feelings about what he did and worried about the pain he might have caused to Richards new girlfriend. Martin Luther King Jr. Killings by Andre Dubus is a short story that humanizes and normalizes violence and revenge murders. King's Letter 427 Words 2 Pages - Detail the distinction between just and unjust laws.
A jealous husband, angered by the fact that his estranged wife is involved in a new relationship, acts out in a presumable crime of passion and murders the man she was seeing. The reader is left to ponder the nature of justice, morality, and revenge. Revenge can bring justice but as well bring pain to someone else. That motive is of revenge, which also motivated Richard to kill Frank. Moreover, according to the principle, the good act must outweigh any harm that is done by the person. . After disposing of the body, Matt returns home to find Ruth waiting for him.
Dubus keeps the readers interested and entertained throughout the story. At this point, it becomes clear to Richard that Matt and Willis plan to kill him, prompting him to make a desperate attempt to run away. The story then unfolds into the surrounding countryside, into New Hampshire, and back again. However, this pretension could not be further from the truth. The love for a child or the love of a spouse can make a person act in ways that can surpass their own understanding, and this was the case for Matt and Ruth Fowler. They are considered a significant element of creative writing as they make the whole process of communication easier and more effective. Cite this page as follows: "Killings - Introduction" eNotes Publishing Ed.
His inability to protect Frank from Richard when Frank was now an adult is what pushes Matt into killing Richard. Matt Fowler feels that his actions are justified for killing Richard. She is his pride, and he will do anything to keep her, even if it means killing her lover in front of his children. In addition, the character frequently argues with his wife, reinforcing his alignment with the theme of violence. The prose writer not only creates a picture of how the father obtains the murder to exact retaliation but also where the killer would be disposed of. Although he feels justified in his actions, the law does not see it that way and he is ultimately arrested and tried for his crime. Though she is aware of that Matt is going to kill Strout.
The sane motive for people who act on revenge doesn't have a true purpose behind it. After the justice system fails in keeping the …show more content… Dubus has the reader questioning if inflicting revenge on Richard is ethical thing to do since the legal system failed in serving the appropriate punishment. He is a killer. It can be said that killing Richard was both, morally correct and incorrect according to the principle of double effect. Conclusion Matt does not realize the consequences of his act until he actually commits the act.
Matt Flower — victim and murderer at the same time. His shoes were tied with the bow on the outside, not as if he had tied them himself. They continue to drive until Matt instructs Richard to stop. Killings by Andre Dubus Literary Analysis Passion and revenge are almost always the integral parts of each other. The main thing which is to be aimed by humanity is that justice, whatever it is for different persons, never must be reached by means of revenge. Robert Dorotik's Killing: A Case Study 815 Words 4 Pages In a small Southern California town, a woman calls police to report her husband never returned from his afternoon run. It gives imagery through the perspective of a mother who faced hurt, but brought unity to the public, to stand up for the rights of equal treatment.
He, Ruth, and presumably Willis, will be marked forever by the secret of the cold-blooded murder. These techniques, along with the use of connotation and diction, emphasize the shock of the murders while providing a pathos appeal. By using strong imagery of how beautiful nature is even after a person has died, shows the death of the traveler didn 't affect anything around it. Killings: Short Story… "Killings" by Andre Dubus's,. Christopher Benson, a writer and lawyer, assisted Mamie Till-Mobley as a co-author in her personal biography.
Any mother can relate to sorrow, grief, and anger, Ruth experiences. Yet this sense of mundanity is present in that act as well, with Matt and Willis listening to the game on their radio as they worked. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. From here we see a man that is not emotionless and simply observing his surroundings, but a man that is hurt and angry inside. Revenge: The Ever-Present Themes Of Revenge In The Iliad 1455 Words 6 Pages Revenge lies within us all, Revenge is an instinctive human characteristic.
Anger leads to conflict though — rightfully so! I Chose Andre because the consistent theme of justice and revenge in his short stories is very interesting. But there is another motive behind this decision, a motive perhaps even Matt is not fully aware of. When Ruth sees him at the counter at Sunnyhurst, she hides in the soup aisle until he leaves. . He tracks down the murderer and kills him in cold blood. His action leads to the realization that he did more harm than good, that his actions will not be justified.
Revenge In The Short Story 'Killings' By Andre Dubus
The impact of his actions on his family and friends is also evident, and he is forced to confront the reality of his actions. Matt does not suddenly decides to kill Richard, but slowly makes up his mind about what he wants to do. Through Matt Fowler Dubus introduces in his story an element of revenge. In spite of the horrific events in his life, Matt Fowler manages to find some measure of peace and happiness at the end of the story. Next, in a long descriptive paragraph, Richard is introduced. When it all finally built up, he murdered the man that killed his son. Whether it was someone stealing your lunch out of the company fridge or finding out your lover has been carrying out an affair behind your back, it is human nature to want to seek revenge.
