In Memory of Gods and Heroes

Santiago seeks to kill Tony because Tony beats and otherwise abuses Robin and her children. Despite Santiago’s desire to kill the steps he takes toward doing so – drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for courage buying a .45 Smith and Wesson practicing marksmanship at a shooting range confessing his murder plan to important persons in his life – amount to nothing more than hesitation and avoidance. This buys Santiago time during which – through the process of remembering childhood acts of heroism performed by himself and those he loves – he comes to accept the fact that regardless of our child-like wishes pure and profane life realities coexist that sometimes we don’t know the difference between the two and that we must remember the unique realities of our lives beautiful and ugly because from these we derive meaning and strength.