A Chat with Dubus about "Rose"

Mark: Mr. Dubus, your stories seem to be dealing with some real inner turmoil issues your charactors have to deal with. In Particular, in Rose, Rose is faced with a real test of her charactor when she sees her husband hit her children, what message are you attempting to convey to your readers?

Andre: Well Mark, I'm glad you asked. I thouroughly enjoy challenging the readers as they read as well. I can almost pictue many of my readers, (after observing Rose watch her husband hit their son, and do nothing), just yelling at their books. However it conveys a stronger message. My readers may not understand the repercussions of each step that could have potentially have been taken. I wanted to portray Rose in a good light, as one who wanted her marriage to work and really believed her husband wasn't a terrible guy at first. The reason I let the story drag on is to develope the depth of the struggle of the decision Rose faced.

Mark: This is true, Mr. Dubus. We really do get a great insight into Rose, and the journey through her decision.We get to know alot about her, and when she finally ends up killing her husband, did you think that this gives the readers some justification to Rose's passiveness?

Andre: I thought having Rose run her husband over with the car would be a good climactic culmination of the events preceeding it. You would expect her crime to be one of passion and pent up anger where she would violently kill him with a knife or someting... granted her continually backing up and going forward over his body is similar... however i felt having her run him over was a way to indirectly do it, the way she indirectly caused her children pain by passively doing nothing about him beating them.

Mark: Well I truly do appreciate the oppritunity to sit with you and discuss the inner workings of "Rose". Have a nice day.

Andre: Thanks you too.

Letter to Rose

Dear Rose,
I am very proud of you because you finally stood up for yourself and did not take any of his beatings anymore. I really have strong feelings about the subject of abuse and I feel that people should be punished for it. Your story made me feel very sad and angry. I felt horrible for you and your children because you had to deal with that awful man. You defiantly made the right decision and you should not regret it at all. I am behind your decision all the way. Women need to stand up against their abusive husbands and fight back. In addition, I think that you really need to overcome that fear of fire kind of how you overcame that fear of your husband. I realize that you had an awful experience with a fire but we all need to overcome our fears and live our lives in happiness. I really hope that we can maybe meet up and talk things over.
Sincerely,
P.J. Dwyer

Ten Interpretive Questions about "Rose"

1. Is Rose's current situation (her depressed state of mind) her fault?

2. Why didn't Rose find her children's foster home and try to stay close with them? Should she have?

3. Why can't Rose see the blessing in the fire the way the narrator does? Why doesn't the narrator try to point that out to her?

4. Even before mentioning abuse, the narrator states that Jim and Rose "were not driven, guided, by either passionate belief or strong resolve (214). Why aren't they driven? Was there some even that sucked all their passion out of them? Were they never really in love? Is it their poor situation?

5. Why does Dubus include all the introductory stuff like about the boy in the military? What can be connected from Rose's story and the other things Dubus talks about?

6. The narrator says hell must be filled with passive people. Why is passiveness that bad? What makes Rose be so passive? What makes us be passive?

7. When Rose is cutting onions and Jim slaps their son, are her tears really just because of the onions? Has she already become hardened to troubles?

8. Why does this story take place in a bar, where Rose only tells her story after a few drinks? Is that significant? How would the story change if Rose was a close friend of the narrator, or someone he visited in a nursing home?

9. Why does the story end with Rose unhappy? What can we get out of seeing her with unresolved problems?

10. Is Rose a strong, blessed woman as the narrator sees her, even though she doesn't feel that? Why?

A Comparison Between Rose in "Rose" and Other Dubus Characters

Andre Dubus creates characters which all have very different struggles and life stories. When considered together, though, the reader can see that many of the characters have strong similarities which in a way connect all of the stories.

The most obvious similar character to Rose in the stories we’ve read is Matt in Killings. Both Rose and Matt have lost connection with their children in some way. Rose feels like an outsider as she witnesses her husband abusing her three kids and Matt loses his son Frank through murder. A very literal similarity surfaces in both characters’ response to the abuse and murder of their kids: Rose and Matt both end up killing the person responsible. After this deed, both characters seem to live their life in a daze, shocked by their own behavior and disconnected by their actions from the real world. However, Rose and Matt also are very different in the ways they chose to kill Jim and Strout respectively. Rose’s was a crime of passion, and she lost control of her emotions in the heat of the moment as she ran over Jim’s body. Matt’s crime was more quiet, intricately planned, and altogether disturbing. While Matt actually had time to sort out his feelings and consider the consequences of his actions, he still committed a crime just as horrifying as Rose’s in the frenzy after saving her children from their father and the fire. Regardless of the circumstances, both characters found enough anger and grief in their hearts to throw away all of their values and commit murder.

Rose is also very similar to Yvonne, a more minor character in If They Knew Yvonne. Both women were in a loveless relationship, and both women were passive about their situation. Yvonne recognized that she and Harry, the main character, were engaged in a purely physical relationship. This drained her self-confidence and led her to a state of grim acceptance of her situation. Similarly, Rose witnesses and understands the nature of her husband Jim’s abusive behavior towards their children. She grows passive towards both the abuse and her own terrible relationship with her husband. While she hates herself for doing what she knows is the right thing in standing up for herself and the kids, Rose stands idly by until the very end of the story.

Matt, Yvonne, and Rose are just three Dubus characters who connect in their struggles, their emotions, and their actions. The short story author tells of different characters living in different worlds who are somehow very much the same.

Killing at the End of the Story

Drawing of the Killing at the end

Matt (from Andre Dubus' story The Killings) and I have a run in at the coffe Shop

As i stand in line at Starnucks the other day, waiting to grab my coffe, i couldn't help but notice a disheveled looking man at a nearby table. Obviously lacking sleep, his hair was a mess and he had on a dress shirt, witha loose tie on and his sirt was unbuttonned a bit. He had the look on his face likehe needed to say something but couldn't find it within himself to say it. I decided to befriend this man, and see if i could help lighten his load. As i sat down across from him he quickly looked startled and agitatated. I explained to him my name and asked him if he didnt mind me sharing his table for other tables were full, (which they were not, but i figured he was so lost in his own world that he wouldnt have the energy to investigate my statement). he obliged, and i began to strike up some friendly conversation. He only gave short quick and percicse answers, and it was obviuos he was holding back. I allueded to the fact he seemed lost, and he quickly snapped at me, "would you say its justified to take someones life who took someones life away from you?" I was extremly surprised at this comment, but reflected upon it for a few moments in the silence of my own head. He seemed to be clinging on to the last bit of energy he had to wait for my answer, as if what i said would give him some vindication or resolve. Finally i responded with, "in the bible it does say an eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth, so i guess it depends upon the situation. Sometimes its best to let the courts resolve it, and i guess there may be an extreme case where that option is not best fitting..." i trailed off. Whatever i said seemed to give this man the answer he was looking for, and he briskly walked out of the coffee shop as if he had a pressing matter to attend to.

A Chat with Mr. Dubus

Me: Well, it is absolutely a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dubus. First of, I'd like to tell you how much I like your work, and give you the honor of knowing we named our blog after you.

Dubus: Why, thank you. I've always wanted a blog named after me. It's great to know that young people are appreciating my stories.

Me: Very much so. Today, I'd like to discuss "Killings."

Dubus: (As he chuckles to himself...) Ah yes, that's a good one.

Me: I agree. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The storyline is so dramatic, starting with the first sentence! I love the way you aren't afraid to get right into topics that normally make people shiver. Why do you choose to write about such uncomfortable topics?

Dubus: That's just the thing. For me, these stories are not at all uncomfortable. I believe that we should really focus in on and try to understand the evil in our world. Although we often see war and destruction on TV, our society does not like to talk about our troubles. However, I have learned the most through my troubles, and find beauty in struggles. My goal is to break down the hesitation of looking deeper into evil, and make people more comfortable with talking about it. The more we talk about it, the more solutions and blessings can come out of suffering. That's why I like to jump in and shove violence , sadness, and sin onto the page.

Me: Wow. I can say that when I read a story like "Killings," I'm much more intrigued than, let's say, a story about a wedding. It forces me to think, and raises tons of questions.

Dubus: Well good, questions are good.

Me: Then maybe you can answer some of mine.

Dubus: Not every question needs an answer, but you can try me anyway.

Me: Okay, did you want Matt to kill Strout? Because by the end of the story, after seeing Strout's side, I was hoping he wouldn't, and yet other people were cheering Matt on!

Dubus: For the purposes of the story, yes, I wanted Matt to kill Strout. After all, I could've just made him change his mind. Reiterating the point I made before, I like to not always have a "happy ending." Whether or not it was the right thing to do is for you to figure out.

Me: Thanks... I guess the discussion that provoked was pretty interesting. But there is something else that we weren't sure about. How did you mean to portray Mary Ann, and Matt's relationship with her? We couldn't decide if she was meant to be an innocent woman overcoming a bad relationship, or a woman with evil intentions trying to break up her family.

Dubus: Well, I can't say it was either of those extremes. I'd be more interested to hear what you thought than what I could tell you.

Me: Reading it the first time through we all saw her as innocent, probably because we liked Frank and didn't want to believe his girlfriend was evil. But then we looked through the text again, and saw how she wasn't exactly an angel. Also, Matt seemed to take an odd liking to her, which seemed to prevent him from breaking up his son's relationship, which would have prevented all this from happening.

Dubus: Now you see, isn't that better than anything that I could've told you?

Me: I guess. There's one more thing that is really bothering me that I hope you can give me a less vague answer. Why did you end it the way you did? Why don't we get any clue as to how the whole story resolves. In your mind, does Matt overcome his grief and realize his wrongdoings? Does he turn himself in? Does he go through life denying that he's a murderer? Is he miserable forever? Do he and his wife get a new outlook on life?

Dubus: Obviously, I ended it there for a reason. I didn't just forget to finish the story. I didn't want you to know all that information. I can only give you a little hint. The story isn't focusing on the outcomes or a conversion in Matt's character. It focuses more on the process of grieving- the emotions, thoughts, and actions that go with it. It should bring up questions of morality. There are many themes you can get out of "Killings" if you read closely, but I want you to find them. If I told you, what's the point of your discussion groups and blogs? Or even reading the stories for that matter?

Me: Well, thank you for your time. Seeing as I'm not going to get much out of you, I might as well get back to Dubie's Groupies.

A Personal Letter to Matt in "Killings"

Dear Matt,
You might not know me, but I wanted to take the time to send you a quick note. I read an account of your story and I guess I just wanted to let you know the feelings I have after learning of your many struggles.

Firstly, I want to express my deepest condolences for the loss of your son Frank. I cannot imagine the grief you must have gone through after losing someone so close to you at such a young age. No father should have to live through the loss of a child, and I can only imagine how shocking and horrifying the circumstances were. I’m sure that, though I never knew Frank, he was a great person and a son worthy of your pride. You have a lot of courage to continue your daily life after an earth-shattering loss like this one. I sincerely hope that you, your wife, and your family continue to recover from this catastrophe. You have been in my prayers.

In the days after your son’s death, you handled your life with such grace. The daze you were in is understandable, but I’m sure that those around you who were grieving appreciated the composed front you had which at least temporarily eased their pain. I was disappointed to read that you lost control of your anger and emotions when you murdered young Mr. Strout. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on telling anyone about your crimes, because I feel that it is not my place. All I ask is that you take the time to consider what I have to say and reflect on the results of your rash actions.

I can in no way legitimize what Strout did to your son. Murder is, in my opinion, an unforgivable crime, especially considering your obviously close connection with the victim and the public nature of his death. Strout has undoubtedly not only shattered Frank’s life, but he has also forever changed you, your family, Mary Ann, and those poor children. I’m not sure how I would handle the unavoidable desire for revenge that would come with losing a loved one in such a way. But I still question your decision to kill Strout. Firstly, he was openly guilty for his crime and he acknowledged that he was deserving of whatever punishment the law chose. Strout could have been punished within the parameters of the legal system, and you never had to interfere. Also, in ending Strout’s life, you in a way put him out of his misery. It seems apparent to me that he was struggling with the consequences of his actions and that with time he might develop remorse and regret for his huge error in judgment. Living with his regret would have been punishment enough, in my opinion. I’m worried that you might realize that you’ve also made a mistake that you cannot take back. Finally, is this really what Frank would have wanted for you to do? Frank was not a violent man, and he refrained from any sort of conflict with Strout because he wanted what was best for others around him. He would have been proud to see you resist the urge to use violence as well. Have you accidentally stooped to Strout’s level? Perhaps a good way to live in Frank’s memory would be to help Mary Ann and the kids cope and maybe to give them money to support their living. We can find the joy in someone we’ve lost by helping others rather than by causing loss for even more people. Strout had family too; people who you’ve never even met loved him and are now just as confused as you are. I thought that you would not wish the loss of a young man like Frank on anyone.

You can’t take back what you’ve done, Matt, but you can come back from it. I’m not telling you to confess, though it probably is the right thing to do. Just consider what I have said and try to direct your life down a path of love, not hate. Don’t forget who you are, and most importantly, don’t forget the wonderful son who lit up your life while he was here on earth.

God bless you,
Angela GInocchio