***WARNING: SPOILERS***
I essentially wrote A Man of Action as a means of updating my “fictionalized scrapbook” and expressing my frustration with the law. My concerns had to do with whether a life sentence without the possibility of parole was really a punishment equivalent to the crime committed. I have always believed that prison is meant as punishment, not necessarily for rehabilitation.
I see a deadly crime as one that only comes after many transgressions have occurred before the worst one. It is a downhill trajectory. I was inspired by the Barbie and Ken Killers’ case this time. What if they lived in my husband’s beautiful Queen-Anne-styled house? What kind of psychological hold did Paul Bernardo have over Karla Homolka, or was she just as guilty for the crimes they committed? Could a man like him truly love a woman who is “of the flesh” after killing another human being? A woman’s defining trait, after all, is her ability to create life.
Conrad has these constant thoughts of killing people, and he believes that he is fighting “for the good” by only hurting other criminals. But what is he losing by committing each offense against another individual, and what about Elizabeth?
One other aspect that frightened me about this idea is how quickly the human body can be harmed as opposed to how slowly it takes to create and heal—a single bruise can take two weeks to heal, a deeper wound can take half a year! All the little bits that make up you took nine months in your mother’s womb, only to have some other beast come to destroy it all in seconds. Creating is so hard, in any form, that it is almost unbearable to me to see it annihilated so easily.
Both Conrad and Elizabeth end up dead in this tragedy because I could see no other way out for their deeds. In my mind, a woman would be destroyed just from carrying the burden of death and being separated from her lover, while a man would be ruined without a purpose by being holed up in prison for life. Death only seems to beget more death. So, I say, let the legal system do its work and hope that justice is served, only don’t sacrifice yourself to it.
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Views Expressed Disclaimer: The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent the postings, strategies, or opinions of American Wordsmith, LLC. Please also know that while I consider myself an Objectivist and my work is inspired by Objectivism, it is not nor should it be considered Objectivist since I am not the creator of the philosophy. For more information about Ayn Rand’s philosophy visit: aynrand.org.