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Jasmine Johnson Johnson Dr. Fegley English 1102 April 3, 2008 A Life for a Life Past and present alike are present throughout The World Made Straight. Although there is a hundred years between the time period of the book and the journals of Joshua Candler they play an important role upon each other. Joshua Candler's journals provide a background for Travis and Leonard to follow throughout the story. The story opens with an excerpt from Candler's journal. These journals help build a picture of the past. Both Leonard and Travis show an interest in their families past. "What reason you got to say I'm ignorant?" This is a question that Travis asked Leonard before he began his journey through his family's past along with Leonard. Travis knows little about the history of Shelton Laurel until he meets Leonard. Together these two unravel the mystery of their past and try to understand the meaning behind the events revealed in Candler's journals. Travis's knowledge goes beyond that of his familial ties as he learns more about Leonard and the true extent of the knowledge that lay dormant as he attended school and after he dropped out. Both Travis and Leonard can be described as outlaws. Travis is the son that is a failure to his father and family. He dropped out of high school and quit his job at the grocery store. His position with his father is worsened after Carlton Toomey cuts his Achilles tendon making it hard for him to help tend the tobacco crop that his father is growing. Leonard, like Travis, is a failure to his family. He became an alcoholic making it difficult for his wife to tolerate him. As
Johnson 2 his drinking becomes worse some of his students try to take advantage of him until one of them makes it seems as though he does drugs. This destroys his marriage entirely and brings about what would seem to be the end of his life. However, these circumstances change once Travis becomes a part of his life. The event that throws these to bandits together is actually an accident. While fishing one day Travis stumbles upon a marijuana patch. He sees this as a money tree waiting for him to harvest it. However, he fails to heed the warning in the saying "never look a gift horse in the mouth." He also fails to heed the verbal warning that Leonard gave him when he said, "I don't think better you try to do that." after Travis suggests that he may be able to bring him some more weed. He over harvests the crop and his life nearly ends when Carlton Toomey, the owner of the crop, finds him. All of these events lead up to the life that Travis leads while living with Leonard. As Carlton Toomey and his son try to kill Travis and Dena, Leonard sacrifices his life to protect them. The death of Leonard is the life that is sacrificed to replace the life on another. In his journals Candler tells the story of the Shelton Laurel Massacre. Leonard discovered a little of the story behind the massacre from a library book, but his main source of background was Candler's journal. The journals provide information on how Candler took care of each of the Shelton's at some point in their life. These journal entries also help recall how much Candler regrets having to partake in the murder of these innocent people. One of the people that were killed was young David Shelton. He was also one of Travis's ancestors. Leonard's death was meant to replace the life of David. It would have been just as easy for Rash to have killed Travis in the story, or to have let Leonard survive the accident, but Leonard's death was necessary. A life for a life.
Johnson 3 This is the same as the concept of wergild found in Beowulf. If a member of your family is killed the death must be avenged with either the death of a member of the family that killed your relative or with a monetary payment. Although it could not account for the death of everyone that was killed during the Shelton Laurel Massacre, Leonard's life that was sacrificed to replace the life of the Shelton's that were killed during the massacre. Leonard's death can also be seen as a result of Candler's dying wish, "Want my mind clear to pray for my soul, ask forgiveness for what cannot be hidden from My Maker." Candler gravely regretted the actions that he was forced to make on the day of the Shelton Laurel Massacre. Leonard's death can symbolize a somewhat ironic answer to Candler's plea for forgiveness. It is also ironic because the main scene of the tension that leads to his death is in Shelton Laurel. In the exact same spot where the Shelton's were murdered. By dying Leonard was able to settle the score between the lives of the two families.