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Killings

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Killings
“Killings"
By Andre Dubus's.
“Killings” was written by the late Andre Dubus in 1979 (Dubus). According to the article “Andre Dubus,” often the characters that Dubus portray are in tense situations and “sometimes their frustration goads them to infidelity or acts of violence; more often, however, they simply become resigned to their lot” (Contemporary Authors Online par. 9). On the other hand, Matt revenge to committing his murder, which showed loss and consequences are explored in Andre Dubus's, "Killings". 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. As a result of this crime, a father suffers the loss of his son and plots retaliation, which results in the killing of his son's murderer. His “id” was a very jealous husband that didn’t want his wife to be with another man, whereas on the other hand he cared and loved his family. I feel like he didn’t want the sense of betrayal so he chooses to commit a murder. Both men experience a loss and subsequently act out in revenge. The difference in the moral character of these two men is what appears to determine the fate of their consequences. Richard Strout, a man of inferior morality, commits a crime of passion. He murders a man who is having a relationship with his estranged wife. Strout is portrayed in the story as being a spoiled, selfish, violent man. The pending divorce between he and his wife obviously left him feeling conflicted over the loss of control and he is angered by the fact that she was seeing another man so quickly after the separation. There appears to be no feelings of regret or remorse from Strout after the murder. He seems to feel completely justified in the killing and even makes the statement, "He was making it with my wife" (Dubus). Strout's lack of moral character is a key element in his being able to live with himself after committing this crime. His

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