Peace Like a River (Characters)

I thought maybe we'd change the format of the discussions a little and have threads on different aspects of the book. We can talk about the characters in this thread, adding to it as we continue reading the next chapters. Now that we're well into the book we know enough about the characters to discuss them.

Let me start with yet another digression. There is a medieval mystery series that I like a lot by Candace Robb, the Owen Archer mysteries. The setting and stories are great, however there is a serious problem with one of the characters. If I remember correctly, this boy is supposedly about 10 years old. Since he's an orphan, he survived by following after soldiers. The boy is treated like a 5 or 6 year old and it drove me crazy. In that time, and living in that way, I would imagine him to be much closer to being an adult that a child raised safely in a home. Presenting him as such a young child was annoying.

Fortunately, I don't feel the same way about Swede. I've known children with extraordinary abilities. We had one kindergarten student who could do very advanced math...if someone read him the problems which he could not yet read himself. He thought that test was a lot of fun. I do appreciate the story being told through Rubin's more "normal" eyes. We see that Swede is a very gifted writer, and clearly intelligent, but she's still a child.

I felt so bad for Rubin when he testified on the stand and I love the way he tells the story. Rubin feels his job is to bear witness and he is unwavering in his honesty, even about himself. The descriptions of his breathing difficulties makes you feel like you can almost understand what it would be like.

Davy is a mystery to me. I have no problem understanding why he did what he did but the way he disassociates himself from the consequences makes you wonder about him. You know he's a good person because Rubin tells us so but killing someone, even when they've hurt someone you love, seems to indicate a certain contempt for the importance of life. This is surprising to me, given his family beliefs. One of the biggest surprises of the story for me was when we found out at the trial that Davy had escalated the conflict by breaking out the windows on Finches car.

Jeremiah Land is the biggest mystery of all. Rubin is telling two stories here, one about his brother, and the other about his father. You can't help but be impressed with this dad, no matter what his profession. The irony surrounding Jeremiah is interesting. Here's a man who can heal others but he suffers from nearly continuous headaches. He is kind and forbearing but didn't hold back when beating the boys in the locker room.

For just a minute I'd like to mention the language in the latest passage. Enger's use of irony can be very subtle however, that is not the case with the letter that starts, "Dear butcher...." I hate this letter but I love the irony in it. All the things the writer is saying about Davy were actually true about the boys that Davy killed.

NEXT READING:
Read through "The Last Thing He would Do" (p. 148 in my edition)