_Killings__by_Andre_Dubus

Taylor Nelms Amy Riddell ENC1102 05/10/2012 An analysis of the themes in the short story “Killings” by Andre Dubus In “Killings” by Andre Dubus, Matt Fowler’s son, Frank, is murdered by Richard Strout. The murder had a significant emotional effect on the family, especially Matt’s wife Ruth. Richard is out on bail and is seen around town frequently by Ruth. Ruth can’t stand to see her son’s murderer a free man so she tells her husband about her feelings seeking relief from them. Ruth’s unhappiness leads Matt to kill Richard Strout. The story reflects the desperate attempt of a father to find justice for the crime committed against his family. The short story “Killings” highlights the themes of justice and revenge and how one doesn’t come with another. Through the plot of “Killings” it is extremely clear that Dubus has something to say about justice and revenge. Ruth is portrayed to be a woman mourning the death of her son, but deep down she seeks revenge for the pain Richard has causes her. There is no greater pain than losing a child to someone with no worth. Ruth believes that revenge, which to her is killing Richard Strout, will justify things. She manipulates her husband by constantly reminding him and crying to him about how she cannot deal with seeing Richard around town which forces him and his friend Willis to devise a plan to take Richard out in exchange for his wife’s happiness. In paragraph 17 Matt says “I’ve got a .38 I’ve had for years, I take it to the store now… she knows I started carrying it after the first time she saw him in town. She knows it’s in case I see him and there’s some kind of situation”, this indicates that not only revenge is to be sought out, but also the means by which Matt Fowler plans to exact his vengeance without any thought of future consequences. He waits outside of the bar with Willis where he knows Richard Strout is and then their plan comes into play and they take Strout out in the middle of the woods and shoot him dead. Matt’s plan of revenge is now complete. After the deed was done Matt returned home where Ruth lies in the dark bedroom and waits for him. She curiously waits to ask him whether or not he did what she thought he did, and he tells her that he did. In paragraph 159 she says to him “Tell me”. After telling Ruth the story Matt comes to the realization that he was not satisfied with what he did. In paragraph 169 Ruth tries to make love to him, but he can’t do it; images of Frank and Strout play like a slideshow through his mind, over and over again. Andre Dubus suggests through the character of Matt that revenge, even in a situation where it seems to be justified, can cost someone his or her humanity. Matt is in totally isolation and will be for the rest of his days. The isolation given to Matt Fowler in the resolution imposes an even greater conflict than ever before and results in Fowler’s remaining children believing that Strout has skipped town, dismissing himself from his trial. Fowler was victorious in the end since his goal in the story was to eventually kill Strout. However, the emotional difficulties present in the resolution allow the reader to think otherwise. Like Kennedy says “The story’s point is clear: the blade of the murder cuts both ways. Victim and killer are united and isolated, one in death, the other in ultimate breach of respect for human life.” (Kennedy 37-59). The last line of the story shows that the pain brought about by the death of Frank will never be relieved by taking the life of Richard in Matt’s eyes, although it may be different in his wife’s. Killing Richard Strout costs Matt his humanity. The crime he committed against Richard is essentially the same as the crime Richard committed against Frank. Andre Dubus implies that the nature of revenge destroys a person as human being. It is not moral to correct a mistake with another mistake, or take the law into your own hands. Avenging will make things worse in the future. Sometimes we have to go over the limits of human nature to puts things into perspective. It may take time, but eventually justice will be served. The themes of revenge and justice are very apparent in the story “Killings”. Very soon after killing Richard, Matt realizes that killing Richard is unjustifiable. Through murdering Richard Strout Matt kills himself. Both of them killed a human being in cold blood. There is no difference in killing for the sake of killing and killing for the sake of revenge. Many different people of today’s society have different views of what justice is and how justice should be served to those who are guilty of murder. Revenge may be desirable for some, but the consequences that come with it may be worse than they were before. There is no justification for murder and there never will be. . Work Cited Kennedy, Thomas. "Violence: The Language of Isolation." Details: Andre Dubus: A Study of the Short Fiction. (1988): 37-59. Literature Resource Center. Database. 5 Oct 2012. Dubus, Andre. “Killings.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011.103-15. Print. (Kennedy 37-59)