Dave's actions are perceived in a completely different light when considering Dave's mental status. As a child, Dave was raped, which had a major traumatic effect on him that spread to and corrupted his adult life. When Katie is murdered and Dave is forced to think about the friends who make him reminiscent of his kidnapping and molestation, Dave's mind becomes clouded, and he gradually loses stability; the man tells his wife that he "can't trust his mind anymore". Dave's grip on his mental state becomes extremely shaky after realizing that he may be a possible suspect in Katie's murder case. He loses all control entirely when he witnesses a pedophile luring and molesting a young boy. To save the boy, Dave attacks the pedophile and to make one more attempt at regaining his innocence, Dave murders the pedophile.
Overall, Dave deserves forgiveness.The psychological impact that his rape has made upon Dave's life causes him to react in a negative way that he perceives as positive. He obviously has lost his sense of rationality, leaving him to the whims of his darkest fantasies. Dave should not be held accountable for his sins; his defense is his insanity.
Dave's traumatizing past has led him to become the anger-ridden,scared man he is today. Although he murdered a man, Dave deserves forgiveness because the murder was not a malicious act; he was merely trying to protect an innocent young boy from the pain he endured as a child. Furthermore, The murders should not tarnish Dave's innocence in any way because he was, like you said, bringing a vigilante to justice. Yes, Dave did not have to get involved and yes, Dave did not have to kill the man, but his past caught up to him and all anger broke lose.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your choice of Dave as most deserving of forgiveness, and I love that you alluded to the law with "Dave should not be held accountable for his sins; his defense is his insanity". However, I would argue that Dave was not truly insane. He showed comprehension and reason when Jimmy Markum threatened him with death. Despite his "confusion" throughout the film, Dave was aware of his actions when he killed the pedophile. Also, if Dave is legally not guilty of murder due to his past trauma, would Brendan Harris also be considered not guilty? He too grew up in an unideal home. His mother resented him and his brother due to their absentee, criminal father. Can he be blamed for filling the expectations that Jimmy Markum and his mother have been giving him?
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