Reading Notes-Heading “The Utterly Perfect Murder” Pages 19-9/14
PAGE 19 *Main Character: 48 years old *Family guy (wife & children) Wants to kill Ralph Underhill *“look of the lion in my eyes”=madness or anger in his eyes ?? Why does he want to kill Ralph? Point of View-1 st person-Doug is telling the story
Page years later……wants to kill Ralph for something he did when he was 12 Takes the train…more time to think about the murder *Wow! He is really angry Wants to kill him: – Left bruises – Pushed him in the mud
Page 21 Traded a $.25 toy for a baseball mitt ***Never went to Doug’s house to ask him to play Conflict: Internal-Doug can’t let go of the past
Page 22 “Madder than Ahab” Moby Dick-main character-everyone thought was crazy-Doug realized he was crazy Setting: Past – Green Town Doug thought he could get away with it b/c no one would expect him to come back after all this time.
Page 23 Suspense built….Author gives very small details to build suspense Walks up to the door Touches the gun Knocks / door opens Ralph Underhill stands there=CLIMAX
Page 23 Characterization of Ralph Little old man 5’2’’ Lost most of his hair (thin, grey) Looked Pale-sunken look Breath smelled of funeral flowers Characterization of Doug 5 ‘ 11’’ Towered above Ralph 48-in good health
Page 24 Doug realizes he did not come here to kill Ralph b/c seeing him like this is revenge enough Six shots “Bang, bang bang” = killed Ralph in his mind (symbolism) “You’re dead. Oh, God, Ralph, you’re dead.”=Ralph is now dead (mentally) to Doug (symbolism) Ralph recognizes Doug-but Doug just walks away=walking away from the past-letting go
Page 24 continued Doug goes to his childhood house and throws rocks at his window b/c Ralph never did Doug’s younger self comes out and they walk away together=he was stuck in the past Symbolism-Doug is able to let go of the past and move on and live in the present (“back towards Now/Today”)