Character Analysis Of Richard Strout In Andre Dubus Killings
Stephen Hunt
Professor Wolf
LIT115 - 201
03 Sept. 2011
“Richard Strout, a Character Sketch”
Richard Strout plays the role of the antagonist in Andre Dubus’ story “Killings”. The character Richard Strout on the surface is a stereotypical spoiled ex-jock, with violent tendencies. There is more to this character though hidden below the surface. He is insecure. Richard Strout is as much a victim as Frank, the man that was sleeping with Richard’s wife.
Richard was a one time a successful High School athlete who had earned a “football scholarship to the University of Massachusetts” (p.98). Richard on the surface had it all. Richard was misunderstood and possibly pressured by others to be what they wanted him to be. It is entirely possible that Richard didn’t want to be a college football player but instead just find a girl to fall in love with and raise a family in his hometown. Clearly Richard was capable of being successful at the University level, he just did not want it and people knew it “Dickie can do the work; he just doesn’t want to” (p.98).
Richard returned …show more content…
home confused and conflicted. He wanted marriage and a family, but instead his insecurities caused him to find a wife much like himself. Richard and his young wife Mary Ann were rumored to be having extra-marital indiscretions, “the marriage had gone bad early, and for most of it Richard and Mary Ann had both played around” (p.99). This was a recipe for tragedy. Unable to control himself and fearful of losing what he loved and wanted Richard’s insecurities led him to kill, when all he really wanted was to love.
Stephen Hunt
Professor Wolf
LIT115 - 201
03 Sept. 2011
“Fiesta, 1980”
A plot summary
In “Fiesta, 1980” a short story by Junot Diaz we follow a day in the life of an immigrant family from the Dominican Republic. On the surface the story is about a family that is preparing to travel to a party for some relatives. The real story that comes out is not the story of the festival but of the affair the father is having with a Puerto Rican woman. The story is told from a first person perspective of Yunior. Yunior is the middle brother and has a problem of becoming nauseous when driving in his father’s new VW van. Yunior in the middle of the story recounts to us information about an affair that his father is having with a Puerto Rican, “I met the Puerto Rican women right after Papi had gotten the van.”(155) Using flashback Diaz is able to create for us a picture of how the father’s actions are having detrimental effects on his entire family.
The family finally makes it to their destination with Yunior of course getting sick along the way.
Introductions are made and parents and children separate; kids in the living room watching television and parents carousing around the kitchen area. The Boys check begin to start checking out the girls and the girl are checking out the older brother, with a mute boy somewhat isolated among them all. The meal is finally served and Yunior is not allowed to eat by command of his father. The evening digresses into a make out session between Rafa, Yunior’s older brother and one of the girls. This sends Yunior down to watch the adults dance and converse until eventually Yunior falls asleep while thinking of his mother. The story concludes with the family driving back home, still awake Yunior observes a show of affection between his parents before he once again becomes
nauseous.
Works cited
Diaz, Junot. “Fiesta, 1980.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 150-159 Print.
Dubus, Andre. “Killings.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 96-108 Print.
Professor Wolf
LIT115 - 201
03 Sept. 2011
“Richard Strout, a Character Sketch”
Richard Strout plays the role of the antagonist in Andre Dubus’ story “Killings”. The character Richard Strout on the surface is a stereotypical spoiled ex-jock, with violent tendencies. There is more to this character though hidden below the surface. He is insecure. Richard Strout is as much a victim as Frank, the man that was sleeping with Richard’s wife.
Richard was a one time a successful High School athlete who had earned a “football scholarship to the University of Massachusetts” (p.98). Richard on the surface had it all. Richard was misunderstood and possibly pressured by others to be what they wanted him to be. It is entirely possible that Richard didn’t want to be a college football player but instead just find a girl to fall in love with and raise a family in his hometown. Clearly Richard was capable of being successful at the University level, he just did not want it and people knew it “Dickie can do the work; he just doesn’t want to” (p.98).
Richard returned …show more content…
home confused and conflicted. He wanted marriage and a family, but instead his insecurities caused him to find a wife much like himself. Richard and his young wife Mary Ann were rumored to be having extra-marital indiscretions, “the marriage had gone bad early, and for most of it Richard and Mary Ann had both played around” (p.99). This was a recipe for tragedy. Unable to control himself and fearful of losing what he loved and wanted Richard’s insecurities led him to kill, when all he really wanted was to love.
Stephen Hunt
Professor Wolf
LIT115 - 201
03 Sept. 2011
“Fiesta, 1980”
A plot summary
In “Fiesta, 1980” a short story by Junot Diaz we follow a day in the life of an immigrant family from the Dominican Republic. On the surface the story is about a family that is preparing to travel to a party for some relatives. The real story that comes out is not the story of the festival but of the affair the father is having with a Puerto Rican woman. The story is told from a first person perspective of Yunior. Yunior is the middle brother and has a problem of becoming nauseous when driving in his father’s new VW van. Yunior in the middle of the story recounts to us information about an affair that his father is having with a Puerto Rican, “I met the Puerto Rican women right after Papi had gotten the van.”(155) Using flashback Diaz is able to create for us a picture of how the father’s actions are having detrimental effects on his entire family.
The family finally makes it to their destination with Yunior of course getting sick along the way.
Introductions are made and parents and children separate; kids in the living room watching television and parents carousing around the kitchen area. The Boys check begin to start checking out the girls and the girl are checking out the older brother, with a mute boy somewhat isolated among them all. The meal is finally served and Yunior is not allowed to eat by command of his father. The evening digresses into a make out session between Rafa, Yunior’s older brother and one of the girls. This sends Yunior down to watch the adults dance and converse until eventually Yunior falls asleep while thinking of his mother. The story concludes with the family driving back home, still awake Yunior observes a show of affection between his parents before he once again becomes
nauseous.
Works cited
Diaz, Junot. “Fiesta, 1980.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 150-159 Print.
Dubus, Andre. “Killings.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 96-108 Print.