What’s your opinion of Frank’s actions after the murder (p. 274)? Did he do the right thing? What would you have done in his place?
Frank is saving Leo. Leo will have to live with this his entire life but Frank is saving the boy from the consequences of his actions. I do not know what I would have done, glad I have never been in a similar situation!
I think he did it to make up for what happened to their son. And maybe he thought it would leave beth free to be with Gabriel.
Frank protected Leo. Had Leo been charged and found guilty, his life would have been destroyed. While Leo has to live with what he did, he does have a chance to become a productive adult, if he chooses. What would I have done? I can’t truthfully say. An older person might take the fall for a younger person rationalizing the life all ready lived versus the life just beginning.
I admired Frank for his moral compass and compassion. I know he confessed because he felt responsible for Bobby’s death and could not in good conscience send Gabriels other son perhaps to prison. He had to be a very strong man both in integrity and grace.
I agree with all the above. Frank is definitely saving Leo and maybe he was trying to make up to Beth for what happened to Bobby. Was it the right thing? I don’t know.
Yes, I agree that Frank was saving Leo’s young life and probably trying to make up for what happened to Bobby. Would Gabriel have done the same if the situations were reversed?
Frank is a very honest type of person so I think it was his sense of moral duty to protect Gabriel’s second son from disaster since he felt responsible for his first son’s demise. I’m not sure what I would have done, I worry Leo is a troubled soul by how he latched on to Beth’s memory of Bobby and stealing Beth’s photo, how he has a hard time with his moms desertion, and how he always worry’s about his Dad leaving, then thus sudden burst of violence. In the fictionalized version of this story it was a great ending, but in real life??? I hope I would never be in that situation!
Personally I had a hard time with his decision. As I finished the book I was left wondering about Frank’s qualities. I wanted him not to be so “Casper Milk Toast” about life in general. Right or wrong, I can only say perhaps it could have been better described as an accident. I don’t know what I would have done, the decision needed to be made quickly. No time to consider the facts before the police’s arrival played into his quick, not necessarily the best, solution.