Crooked letter, Crooked letter

Alternativer Bildtext:

his answering machine Larry and Silas spy on Cindy Silas defends Cindy against Cecil Carl forces to fight about the rifle Silas finds a photo of his mother in Larry's house Remembers his journey from Chicago to Mississippi Larry's date with Cindy He drives her to her boyfriend's place and is never seen again Conversation between Silas and Angie Silas visits Larry and Mrs. Ott for the first time Silas encounter Wallace driving a four-wheeler Discovers a grave in the old hunting cabin Wallace start visiting Larry Larry remembers Wallace Wallace tries to make Larry admit to killing Cindy Confirmation that Tina Rutherford's body was found in the cabin Larry is the only suspect Silas guards his hospital room at night and tells Larry not to confess Silas finds out that Mrs. Ott is neglected in the nursing home Silas tells Angie about his relationship with Cindy Realization that Cecil must be the murderer Larry regains consciousness French interviews him and tries to get a confession Silas rushed to the hospital Larry is glad to see him until Silas admit what happened in the night of Cindy's disappearance Silas gets drunk and meet Irina again, she tells him about Wallace almost raping her roommate Larry is still in the hospital He remembers that Wallace almost confessed something to him before the shooting He realizes the truth as asks for French Silas visits Wallace Wallace sets his dog on his and shoots him Larry hears about the shooting He tells French about Wallace Silas is in the same room as Larry after his surgery Silas reveals that they are half-brothers Larry wants to be moved in another room Silas has lots of visitors Confirmation that Wallace killed the Rutherford girl Silas is discharged from the hospital Larry doesn't want to speak to Silas Silas and Angie clean up Larry's house Larry is discharged from the hospital and walks home Silas finds him and drives him home Larry offers to repair Silas' Jeep grau hinterlegt = flashback protagonists + their ambiguity of belonging Larry Ott 41 years old white, lean face, brown hair, olive skin, long lashes -> soft, feminine lives in rural Mississippi in his parent's house without any neighbour nearby his mother lives in a nursing home; his father died in a car accident works as a mechanic in his own shop; never/barely has costumers he is an outcast likes to be for himself his chickens are his only "friends" "Scary Larry" (nickname) bad reputation because he is the first suspect in a crime (missing girls) introvert, smart, flees into his work challenges and how he copes with them: rejected and bullied by peers in his childhood difficult father-son-relationship social outcast; isolation secret interracial friendship with Silas books daily routines ambiguous relation with Wallace trying to belong: critical reflection of himself/his past -> development regaining a sens of belonging (Wallace) bonding with Silas attempt at reconciliation and a new start Larry - Ambiguity of social identity black against white = two district groups doesn't belong to the "white group" because he has different interest (e.g. books) he tries to belong but doesn't know how, wants to get attention (e.g. snakes) but it just confirms his "weird" reputation one time he thinks he's been accepted (zombie mask) is an illusion he gets shunned by everyone because he is the number one suspect in the case of the two missing girls as an adult it seems that he will always be "Scary Larry" and he questions if he will ever lose his reputation as an outsider Silas "32" Jones 49 years old black, athletic lived in Chicago, then in an old cabin owned by Larry's father without water, electricity and gas his mother died eight years ago; was raised by a single mom (Larry's half-brother); had an aggressive stepfather works as a police officer dates Angie challenges and how he copes with them: unknown father racial issues poverty unable to maintain an emotional relationship I secret interracial friendship with Silas competing for fatherly love (rifle) has an accepted job as a policeman: rights the wrong (doesn't in his private life; lies in terms of Cindy) baseball integration in society (girlfriend) trying to belong: realisation of guilt acceptance of responsibilities realisation of the values of bonding; opens up to girlfriend attempts at reconciliation and a new start Silas - Ambiguity of personal identity his identity seems clear finds it easier to integrate in school, gets popular Silas was the cool kid but builds a connection with the misfit grew up not knowing his father and seems to accept that discovering who his father is makes him question his identity due to their family relation he makes amends to rekindle their friendship (feels guilty) at the end he takes responsibility for himself and his faults (too late?) family Larry Carl Ott: IIIA authoritative father puts pressure on Larry with high expectations distanced behaviour towards their family rejects Larry as a son (has a preconception of how Larry should be) lack of support and trust in his son alcoholic biased and racist Larry doesn't feel a sense of belonging to his father, lack of confidence, negative influence Ina Ott: - tries to defend Larry against his father prays for him (her biggest wish is a friend for Larry) Silas Is also Silas father = Silas and Larry are half- brothers influence on their relationship Alice Jones: black single mom cares for Silas and want to offer him a good life works several jobs to afford a modest living standard at the bottom of social ladder ➤ Silas doesn't appreciate her hard work until he's an adult friendship... ...between Larry and Silas Larry enjoys books, Silas is more outgoing/active the two boys must keep their friendship a secret (families would disapprove of their friendship) both suffer from sort of exclusion (Silas because of his skin colour, Larry because of his unpopular hobbies and character in general) Larry invests more time into the friendship, since Silas is his only friend (and the first real friend) Larry introduces Silas to his horror stories Larry invites Cindy to spy on Cindy they are half-brothers -> still a connection between them ► Unbalanced, fragile friendship Larry trusts Silas (e.g. riffle) and he relies on him ➤ Silas seems to be embarrassed about the friendship (especially later) ► able to rekindle their relation due to their family connection Impact of the fight on Larry Larry loses not only the fight but destroys the friendship due to his racist remark towards Silas ultimate denial by his father: Larry does not meet the expectations of his father the fight adds another struggle to Larry's life as it is never discussed at home Sense of belonging to the family decreases more and more painfully realises that his attempt to maintain a friendship fails his world collapses/his confidence vanishes and the stuttering momentarily reappears he ignores his values/loses control of his principles the consequences are much severe and the amount of regret is much higher than it was when he has called a girl "monkey lips" in school ...between Larry and Wallace they are both outcast, rejected from society Larry is glad that he has a friend (sense of belonging), but is sceptical and wants to know him first (got betrayed in the past) -> he is wrong to trust him, nearly costs him his life Larry offers Wallace a job as a mechanic Wallace searches a soulmate because he tries to cope with his murder, wants Larry to trust him and force a false confession out of him Wallace looks up to Larry -> father figure for him When Wallace doesn't get what he wants, he becomes aggressive and violent ...between Silas and Cindy first attached to him when he defends her against Cecil she watches him playing baseball must keep their relation a secret they are in love -> Cindy sees Silas as her ticket out of Chabot Silas is sceptical about a Future for them because of their different races he would need to sacrifice too much betrayal Larry calls Silas "nigger" (after a fight forced by his father) which destroys their friendship, he instantly regrets saying it Silas didn't open up about what happened in the night of Cindy's disappearance and let Larry take the blame for it, Larry was ostracized from society for years Cindy uses Larry to meet her boyfriend because she knows that he will not refuse to help her Carl Ott cheated on his wife, he brings shame on Ina by allowing Alice and her son to live on their land Silas breaks up with Cindy to save his baseball career, Cindy thought he would help her out of her family situation, he let her run away in the darn, if he had spoken up, the murderer might have been found Wallace betrays Larry's friendship, Larry think he found a friend, but Wallace only want his confession to a crime, he kills the Rutherford girl to be Larry's "hero", he tries to destroy Larry by shooting him important events Chapter 6 - Silas' journey from Chicago to Chabot (Mississippi) Chicago Larry • lives with his mother and her boyfriend in a black neighborhood • modest standard of living (education, satisfied) • no sense of belonging Chapter 7 - Larry's date with Cindy Before the date going down south his peers • discrimination, sexsism • loss of trust, disturbed mother-son relation, disconnected • at the bottom of social ladder, turning point excited, owerwhelmed, nervous feels like a normal boy -> hope, proud to be the "chosen one" tells everyone about it, prepares for the date his family father: supportive, but jokes (challenges him) mother: happy for him, overjoyed, hopeful Chabot impressed, shocked, surprised (didn't expect him to get a girl) make fun of him, discuss contraceptives, provide him with a rubber but for once he gets to be a part of the group racial violence secret friendship live in an old los hunting cabin loss of belonging economic desaster, desperation •teenager: successful athlete, popular adult: decent job, resprected crucial events "Dieses Foto" von Unbekannter Autor ist lizenziert 1 2 3 Impact on Larry •Cindy tells Larry that she never wanted to go on a date with him and lies to him (pragnancy) •Larry pretends to have a girl with im in the car at the drive in because his peers see him •Cindy doesn't return to the car (disappears) •Larry drives to Cindy's place and becomes a livelong suspect livelong suspect of a murder bad reputation (outcast) is ostracized drops out of school his family gets shunned basic trust is destroyed father's business is dwindling Chapter 9 - the development of a friendship? Wallace watching Larry in church, trying to contact him Larry not returning to church Wallace sneaking into Larry's barn, Larry scears Wallace with the zombie mask Wallace pretends to sell Larry a satellite dish Chapter 11-15 - Old and new Larry Wallace giving Larry a present Hides behind the zombie mask Larry is grateful that he found a friend Larry is concerned about Wallace, thinking about offering him a job Larry recognizing Wallace OLD Larry Replaced the smashed mailboxes Soaks up negativity, keeps everything in Chickens are his only friends Has only three TV channels and is content with it Wallace and Larry celebrating together, Larry telling stories Wallace trying to get Larry to admit to Cindy's murder, talking violently about sexual abuse, abusive and threatening Larry sending Wallace off his property Wallace cutting off contact NEW Larry Cemented it in the ground Speaks up (about others guilt) Attempts to rekindle the friendship with Silas Wants a dog (loyal and active) Evidence for the real murderer, reveals himself final scenes - progress towards belonging and acceptance of ambiguity Larry I Silas I takes responsibility for himself, reflects upon himself apologizes for using the "n-word" is able to overcome negative influence and emotions realizes that Wallace wasn't a friend, took advantage of him faces reality as it is learns that Cindy and Silas were dating is able to stand unpleasant truths realizes that Silas could have helped him but failed him accepts his own self, is able to start building self-esteem realizes that submitting to being an outcast was the accepts challenges and changes in life family bonds, Silas as his half-brother, his father's true role becomes active thinks about events and characters of the past and present, decides on his own, communicates is righting the wrongs, takes responsibility for himself starts telling Angie the truth builds up relationships with others, compensates for sth. suffering from his failure to exonerate Larry from having sth. to do with Cindy's disappearance takes responsibility for himself investigates as a police officer, but is also driven by the idea of detecting his own past and personality identifies with others/circumstances approaches Ina Ott in order to find out more about his belonging accepts his own self (also faults, such as guilt), takes responsibility makes an official confession to exonerate Larry becomes active, faces reality as it is way to react tells Larry the truth about Cindy and his part in this bonds with other people. tells Larry about their family relation, accepts him as a brother by caring for him Is able to develop positive feelings establishes a closer relationship to Angie recurring motifs snakes symbol of danger snake in the mailbox Larry brings snakes to school -> wants to impress the other kids Larry and Silas catch snakes in the barn -> Silas learns a lot from Larry Wallace keeps snakes in his house ->sent the snake to Irina's mailbox a snake is found next to Silas body after Wallace shot him guns Larry is found shot with a gun in his hand even though he's not allowed to own one as an officer Silas has a gun but has never used it Carl Ott owns a few guns (normal in the South) Larry lends Silas a rifle and teaches him how to use it Carl makes the boys fight over the rifle Wallace gifts Larry a gun -> shoots him with it books Larry is interested in books and spend almost the whole time in them -> Carl thinks it makes him a "Momma's boy" Larry first connects with Silas when he realizes that Silas is interested in stories Larry spends his time with it because he has no customers form of escape for Larry