In the short story "Killings" and the movie "In the Bedroom," many questions are raised about if one murder is more morally just than another murder. Is it possible that two murders can be looked at morally different if one is committed by a genuinely nice man and the other is committed by a lazy, jealous, and altogether mean man? Victim and killer are united and isolated because the "blade of murder cuts both ways" (Kennedy 77).

The setting is in a very small close-knit community where lobster catching and the sea play a very vital role in the everyday lives of its inhabitants. We are drawn into the live of Matt Fowler and his family as we join them at their barbeques, baseball games, and friendly poker matches. A since of comfort is felt when we are introduced to Matt Fowler and his down to earth character. He...