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Killings By Andre Dubus Essay

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Is it justifiable to kill in order to get revenge and peace? The death of Matt and Ruth’s son, Frank altered their lives. Losing their son put them in a dark place taking an enormous toll over their profound emotions. The hatred for Richard Strout, grew stronger daily. The story “Killings” Author Andre Dubus displayed disputes with the values of compassion, courage, and fairness. Frank’s grieving loved ones, wanted closure of their unbearable loss "I should kill him” (Dubus 110). Frank's family was emotionally killed after his tragic death. Richard's freedom while out on bail was incongruous with the vicious homicide, he committed “Ruth sees him. She sees him too much...She can't even go out for cigarettes and aspirin. It's killing her" (Dubus 111). Frank's father, Matt could not stop picturing how Richard had no empathy for his son, for his family, or for humanity. He no longer wanted to wait for justice to be fully served. Matt had compassion for human life, but not for Richard’s” Ruth would shoot him herself, if she thought she could hit him” (Dubus …show more content…

Thinking about the last two things his son saw before leaving this earth gave him the courage to finish out his plan. Richard was clam thinking he would get away with murdering his ex-wife’s boyfriend in cold blood. But with revenge in his heart and on his mind Matt gained Richard trust by lying to him,” 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 “(Dubus 112).
Matt completed his plan with murder on his hands. Matt killed Richard to better his family "She sees him all the time. It makes her cry" (Dubus 116). He committed the crime to overcome his ill feelings and in his mind his family deserved fairness “I hate him, Matt" (Dubus 112). The toughest pain and biggest fear for Frank’s parents was losing a child to someone with no values in

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