Andre Dubus Essays

“Killings”, Andre Dubus’ short story, revolves around a father who seeks vengeance against his son’s killer. The story is about the murders committed by Richard Strout and Matt Fowler in their attempt to get retribution and ease the pain in their hearts. The circle of killings is first caused by the murder of Matt Fowler’s son, Frank, by Richard, which leads to the retaliatory killing of Richard, by Matt. This infinite, unforgiving circle of killings and attempts at retribution is what Dubus portrays

There is nothing one would not do for someone who is genuinely a friend. In the short story by Andre Dubus, “Killings,” Willis aids his best friend, Matt, in organizing and murdering the man who killed Matt’s son, Frank. Willis is drawn to this act of murder out of devotion to his friendship with Matt and his desire to see justice done to the killer which reveals that humans have a tendency to do whatever it takes for family or loved ones before what is morally right or wrong. Many people would

Andre Dubus’ spiral towards violence in the memoir Townie exposes the authors fear of being unable to protect himself, his family and loved ones. Dubus’ fear of being unable to protect himself stems from the relentless bullying Andre experiences growing up. Dubus started experiencing bullying at an early age. Andre was often on the receiving end of taunts and teasing from other boys at school and in his neighborhood. Dubus felt afraid and states, “soldiers have to be brave, and I was not...I just

Killing” the short story by Andre Dubis was interesting from the beginning to the end. Spoiler it is about to murders but if you look behind the murders it could also be a love story. The loving father Matt is at the funeral of his son. The entire story I was trying to put myself inside of Matt’s shoes and thinking about what I would want for my future children and if someone killed him and the potential I had dreamed of for years that he would achieve. Matt would envision the night his son was killed

To begin with, “Killings” is a short story by a French scribbler Andre Dubos. The story was first published in 1979, and was also made into a film, In the Bedroom, in 2001. The story itself takes places in a working class town, Where a couple’s son, Frank, is murdered, and the two must come to terms with both the psychological and emotional trauma of the horrific event, and decide what, if anything, they can do to ease their pain. The narrative opens during the funeral for twenty-one-year-old Frank

Andre Dubus II was born on August 11, 1936, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and died on February 24, 1999. After graduating from college, he served six years in the marine corps. His mother, Katherine Dubus, and two older sisters, helped him gain inspiration for many of his literary works. A very prevalent theme present in the majority of his later works consists of different components of Roman Catholicism. In 1986, Dubus faced a severe tragedy that vastly impacted his literature, and life as a whole

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,

In Andre Dubus’ short story, “Killings,” a question of morality is brought up, can killing be justified. Richard Strout in an act of passion kills Matt Fowler’s son. Fowler plans his own justice by killing Strout. Are either of these killings justified? What are Fowler’s consequences for his actions? When these two killings are compared, the main difference is that Fowler planned and prepared for his murder while Richard acted in the heat of the moment. In the laws eyes that makes Fowler’s killing

Well I read this story twice. “KIllings” by Andre Dubus. Matt Fowler was described in the story as a loving father to his children. He was actually a protective father to all his children. He was always overprotective over his children and worried if something went wrong with them. In the story he was described as a great loving husband to his wife. He was also described to a good friend to Willis. But at the same time Matt Fowler avenges his son's death, finds no peace and is haunted by

Affairs affect people in different ways, but no one could imagine an affair destroying their ability to psychologically function. The “killings” by Andre Dubus is a shocking story about a killer named Richard who murders frank the man having an affair with his wife, who is his pride and joy. Riveted with murder and passion the author revels the characteristics of Richard Strout’s in the “killings” as a psychological obsessive and controlling person; these traits effect his emotions and behaviors

sister to do. During this time he goes outside and imagines a whole conquest like he often does in his free time of him taking over an enemy camp. “...he stared into the trees across the road and saw himself leading his soldiers through the woods.”(Andre Dubus, 272). This quote kind of foreshadows what happens at the end of the book, the reader can clearly tell from his visions that in all of these battles he comes out as a hero with no other consequences to face because it is just pretend. Contrary to

or not they choose to express them, is their own choice. People all around the world have done something to be ashamed about; others just hide the pain deep down inside for a while until it slowly catches up with them. In the story “Killings” by Andre Dubus, the main character Matt Fowler has gone through a tragic event in his life: his son was murdered. Matt chose to let the guilt build up inside of him until he snapped. When it all finally built up, he murdered the man that killed his son. Matt Fowler

Andre Dubus wrote “Killings” in 1979. Richard murdered Matt’s son. Matt took it upon himself to serve justice for his son, and family, by killings Richard. There’s no argument that the killing of Richard was justified. But, why didn’t Matt leave his destiny to the court systems? Is there justice in the justice system? Richard, for the time being, was a “free” man. He was able to walk to streets, go to the local bars, etc. But, didn’t Richard just murder a man? Yes. So, why isn’t he in jail? That’s

Plot Killings, written by Andre Dubus, is an example of a short story that closely follows Freytag’s pyramid. The story is largely focused on love, murder, and revenge. The exposition gives some background information on the Fowler family. This section explores the minds of Matt and Ruth Fowler as they try to cope with the death of their youngest son, Frank Fowler. In addition, Matt meets with his friend, Willis Trottier, and they discuss the murder of Matt’s son. It is also noted that Frank’s murderer

Andre Dubus III’s memoir titled, “Townie” reflects on Dubus’s life beginning before he was born and ending at age 40. At a young age his father left his mother for a college student and from then on his mother struggled to provide for him and his three siblings. Even though his father sent child support payments monthly, his mother had difficulty fully providing for her children. However, despite her efforts, Dubus and his siblings were able to get away with a lot simply because their mother was

Queen Slipper City, the northeastern haven of shoe mills, the city that Andre Dubus III, in his memoir Townie, described as “a town of boarded-up buildings, the parking lots overgrown with weeds and strewn with trash,” (Dubus 9). It is a fact that I would not be the same individual or student if I had been anywhere else. But the Haverhill, Massachusetts I know is worlds apart from the rough 1970’s city Dubus recreates. For one, Dubus grew up during Haverhill’s “urban renewal,” the Haverhill community’s

An eye for an eye may seem like a good idea, but the opposite is true. Revenge seemed like a good idea to Matt, but it made him feel empty and still devastated over the murder of his son. The story, “Killings”, by Andre Dubus made me rethink my opinion on parent-child relationships and revenge. The story reinforced my idea that revenge never makes people feel better, but I can still understand Matt’s internal struggle following his son’s murder. The first thought I had while reading “Killings” was

Natalie Granat Professor Birchman English M01BH 8 March, 2023 Unhinged Revenge In the short story Killings, written by Andre Dubus. Revenge was the fuel to the fire, hence fueling their unhinged emotions leading to a couple of corpses. Frank Fowler was the first to pass away but not by natural causes, but by a man named Richard Scout. Richard murdered Frank. The motives were unclear at first but the fog slowly faded away showing Richard's true motive. Filthy revenge-fueled Richard but as well as

adolescent rebellion is a type of rebellion that wants to deviate from their parent’s view and follow in the footsteps of society, and in the parent’s views it is rebellion against what they did as an adolescent. In the stories of “Digging” by Andre Dubus, Andre Dubus passively rebels against his father’s way of life, in “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, Jing

devastating feeling. Various forms of art have different ways of conveying emotions, whether it be through the use of melody in music, with colors in paintings or through the thoughts and actions of characters in literature. Several characters in Andre Dubus’ “Killings” clearly display their feelings of loss in the story through the way they are characterized and this highlights the devastating power that loss has on those who are forced to experience it. The protagonist of the story, the grieving