Reading the Classics discussion

Discuss up to the end of part 2 (p. 196) here, our optional scheduled target for this is April 17th.

The first part of this section reminded me very much of Poe's "Telltale Heart" where he's so fidgety and is constantly on the verge on giving himself away.

I feel torn, because half of this feels likely (in the sense of what a killer in this setting might be going through), but half just didn't feel like it matched. On the one hand, in some cases, he seems to show compassion for others (the drunk young woman, the drunk man who's dying, the man's family, etc), which doesn't really match the true definition of a sociopath. However, a sociopath will often mimic the compassion of others, so I guess that's not out of the question. He definitely shows no remorse for what he's done (his agitation is over getting caught, not over sadness of the deaths), so it's hard for me to believe that he really feels much for others, even his family. I know he seems like he cares about his mother and sister in the beginning, but looking back on it, he was angry at the fiance for viewing himself as better than his sister, not mad FOR his sister. A fine line, maybe, but a very distinct one.

The one thing I'm having serious trouble with is what his motive was in killing the pawnbroker in the first place? I know he owed her money, but was that it? I guess that's the stereotypical basic crime-inducing issue, but somehow it felt like there should be more to it than that.

Sorry, this whole post sounds like I'm really down on the book, but I'm not, I'm really liking it! Much, much better (and readable) than Brothers Karamozov.

I could be wrong here, but I got the thought that he had been planning the murder for awhile and that it did seem like it was about the money on the surface. Then he over heard those two guys talking in the cafe about how "unjust" it was for people like her with money to live when they do no good with it and take advantage of others, like her sister, while many poor suffer. I read into it a have and have not philosophy, and therefore he got to thinking it was doing the world a favor to be rid of ones like her. Also at the time he finds out that his sister is basically sacrificing herself for him on account of the money. Seems like there may be a connection or a catalyst?

Agreed, probably a catalyst. We know from his own thoughts that he's plotted it for awhile. But it still seems more like he's did it just to do it rather than a strong, relatively reasonable or understandable motive.