Did the punishment really fit the crime?

michele31 Posted: Mar 17, 2003 09:08 AM

Did the punishment really fit the crime?

As to not give away too much to those who didn't finish the book I kept the subject a bit vague.

Did M. losing his hands really avenge Fran's death? Did Nora really 'win'?

I think that Nora and M. both lost. Nora found her sister's killer but at that point she had already begun to destroy her life and Ira's reputation. M's only true joy in life was playing his piano and with the lose of his hands, he loses his precious music. But Fran lost her life so I don't think it was really the same thing. I think M's life in prison would have been truly a hel_ for him and Nora should have taken the tape to the police as well as the other stuff she found.

jenny11.9 Posted: Mar 17, 2003 09:15 AM

Re: Did the punishment really fit the crime?

I thought it was typical Nora fashion to try to take this into her own hands. Nora really annoyed me. She completely lost sight of her sister – if she ever HAD sight of her sister and found herself consumed with her revenge on M for all the wrong reasons. I thought the punishment was ridiculous. I mean – pull the evidence together and go to the police and say – listen, I know you haven’t believed me in the past, but I really think this will prove it for you. Or something like that. Instead she had to 'win' – she had to 'control' him. If the author was trying to make that appear that it was in honor of Franny I don’t think it worked. I don’t think anything Nora did was in honor of anybody but herself.

dcbride Posted: Mar 17, 2003 09:23 AM

Re: Did the punishment really fit the crime?

I honestly think that Franny's death was an accident- she was agreeing to what M did- it just went terribly worng. Nora cutting off his hands was more reckless (she drugged him, put candles on cardboard boxes- instead of unlocking him right away she tried to put the fire out with blankets) and IMO worse.

Sonicstef Posted: Mar 17, 2003 12:22 PM

Re: Did the punishment really fit the crime?

I agree with DC...franny's death was an accident. Franny signed up for the 'abuses' of M and enjoyed them. Her death was unintentional just as M's hands being cut off were just a freak accident to save his life.

I dont think there was a crime or punishment other than self inflicted.