AUTHOR'S COMMENTS #8

Wow, these are tough questions.

For the first we really need to dig into Freeman's head. For the second we need to think about right versus wrong. For the third we could write a book bigger than Two Island Light on the philosophy of justice versus law. I'll try to give you my opinion and what I was thinking when I wrote the story.

a. As many of you said, Freeman probably feared detection if he caused the death of Jack face-to-face. But there is more. Freeman is a coward as are many people who hide in the shadows and try to benefit by the losses of others. He was afraid of a confrontation, afraid of detection, afraid of punishment, and probably afraid of the direct act of murder itself. The deaths at sea were remote, not directly attributable to him, and he didn't have to see it happen. The direct hands-on murder of Jack was not in his comfort zone.

b. Jack told a lie, PERHAPS. He said, "It's not my signature." That's not a lie. His signature is NOT "Jack". He said, "It's not my name." That's not a lie. "Jack" is his nickname. "James Austin Charles" is his name. He said, "It's not my handwriting". Well, that may not be a lie either. He was bloodied, beaten up, and shaky. So maybe it wasn't his usual handwriting. He said, "Somebody else signed this". That could be the lie, but then again he was being forced to sign it under duress, under the threat of Catcher's death. Jack felt that it was like being another person, not his usual self. And he actually didn't SIGN it. So the question of the lie is actually very complicated.

Jack felt justified in evading a direct answer by referring to signature, which of course was not his legal signature, as explained. At no time did he say, "I didn't write this". So, I think that Jack was being "tricky" not a liar. Of course that is open to argument. I for one, am ready to forgive him for that, considering the actions of those who were trying to defraud and kill him. Ah, but ethics are so tangled.

c. This is the really tough one, and I'm going to try to simplify a very complex concept. Laws are very specific codes of conduct and procedure that allow society to function in a predictable manner. In a liberal democracy like ours, and most of the western world these laws are designed and structured to protect the innocent, and to ensure that power is not abused. Laws are precise, specific and with little leaway for interpretation.

Justice is the concept of good triumphing over evil. It may be as mythological as a "struggle between the dark side and the force". It may be as religious as "God will get you for that". It may be as philosophical as "He'll get what is coming to him some time".

Laws try to provide justice but because the laws are also protecting people from abuse by law, then sometimes laws fall short of absolute justice.

If somebody is riding their bike along the road and as they pass you walking on the road, they snatch your ice cream cone from your hand, you are a victim of a crime. For the law to act you would have to prove that there was an ice cream cone, that it was yours, that the person took it from you, who that person was, and that they intended to deprive you of it. That's a tall order, for an already melting ice cream cone.

On the other hand, if the person who took the cone hit a rut because they were looking at the cone, and had only one hand on the bike, and they crashed, ruined their bike, skinned their knees, tore their pants, then we might be able to say that justice was served."...Even if the law demands proof, sometimes justice doesn't."

As a general rule, we should obey our laws. That's what makes our society safe and civilized. Sometimes we just like to see justice served when the law seems not to work... but that is a risky business. In this case Jack got away with it, because the mountie recognized what the law could not. Justice.

I hope that explains what was meant by that passage. It's very complicated and whole university courses could debate that topic. We won't. GRIN.

I want to compliment those of you who tried to answer that difficult question. Some of you were very close. I also want to compliment those of you who had the courage to say "I don't know". Sometimes it is very hard to admit that you don't know something, but that is the only way that you will learn the true answer.

Katie C, your patience will be rewarded. Jenny is going to come into the story again, soon.

Kyle B, yes, I'm going to write more books. I'm already writing a romantic comedy set in the Caribbean, about a quarter done. It'll be a while, I'm so terribly busy these days.

Now on with the story; maybe the Grand Mananers can tell the others exactly how BAD lobster bait smells.