Detective Story Themes

Sidney Kingsley
This Study Guide consists of approximately 30 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Detective Story.

Detective Story Themes

Sidney Kingsley
This Study Guide consists of approximately 30 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Detective Story.
This section contains 816 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Detective Story Study Guide

Forgiveness and Compassion

McLeod's major character flaw is that he lacks the ability to forgive others for their mistakes, as well as the compassion to understand the circumstances that lead people to make poor decisions. Brody pleads with McLeod to allow Arthur to go free, based on the idea that this is his first arrest, and he deserves another chance to make a good life. Brody asks McLeod to have compassion for the fact that Arthur has been traumatized by his experiences while fighting in World War II and that he deserves some understanding of his difficulties in adjusting to life after the war. Until his dying moments, however, McLeod refuses to grant forgiveness to Arthur, stating that he cannot compromise his principles.

McLeod is also unwilling to forgive Mary, his wife, for mistakes she made in the past before she even met him. Mary begs McLeod to understand...

(read more)

This section contains 816 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Detective Story Study Guide
Copyrights
Gale
Detective Story from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.