Alienation: The Fall of Man Through The Breaking of Moral Law

Alienation: The Fall of Man through the Breaking of Moral Law

Is it possible to attain or remain in a state of true happiness when you break a moral law? To many of us, road signs have been handed down through the generations and are posted clearly as the 10 Commandments delivered to us through Moses. These commandments are generally viewed as religious moral laws, but can they be viewed also as natural laws of morality for all to heed regardless of religious belief? Consider the chaos if we inverted their intended meaning, remove the word 'not', and apply 'Thou Shall Kill' or 'Thou Shall Commit Adultery', as new commandments. Would these new commandments conflict with natural laws of morality?

The story by Andre Dubus, "Killings", and Anton Chekhov, "The Lady with the Pet Dog", show alienation as a horrible consequence we can suffer when a moral law is broken. In the story, "Killings", Dubus reveals in detail, the alienation Matt and Ruth experience after Matt executes the revenge murder. In Chekhov's story of "The Lady with the Pet Dog", Anna and her lover, Dmitri, become familiar with alienation after they begin their extra-marital affair. The stories are completely different, however, the authors carefully guide us on a journey into brokenness and deep sadness, only to witness a deeper tragedy of self-imposed imprisonment: Alienation. Alienation caused by grave wrongdoing.

Dubus and Chekhov give us insight to the effects of breaking a moral law by directly showing us how we can be impacted when we commit murder or commit adultery. Breaking moral law is shown to alienate us in ways we may not straightforwardly anticipate. In both stories, the protagonists are alienated from any notion of a supreme being. This is shown extensively through setting, tone, and action showing how the protagonist hide from their surroundings, especially from the events that are occurring or are about to occur.

In "Killings", Matt's alienation from a supreme being begins within him at the time he begins to carry a gun, a gun that he must conceal, else face possible prison time. Matt's friend Willis points this out when he asks, "You got a permit?", when Matt responds that he doesn't, then Willis seems to warn Matt, "... you could get a year for that" (85), directly pointing out to him he's breaking a law. Matt knows that for, "He had always been a fearful father" (88), and even though he still demonstrates a respect for nature and a love for his family, he now behaves indifferently about the potential consequences. "Maybe I'll get one. Or maybe I won't." he says to Willis, as if he is tempting someone to catch him. Matt displays a level of isolation from the law that he would most likely not teach his children. Matt's tone and demeanor are indications the he is beginning to taste the forbidden fruit of revenge and he continues to secretly plot Richard's murder.

In Chekhov's story, "The Lady with the Pet Dog", Dmitri and Anna savor the forbidden fruit of adultery and take us into many situations where they must hide and remain hidden. They hide because their shame seems to be great and their feelings of unworthiness seem to be overwhelming. Chekhov especially reveals this isolation and sense of unworthiness in Anna, when her alienation from her God is indirectly suggested. Anna is feels her act of adultery "in a peculiar way, very seriously, as though it were her fall" (189). Chekhov clearly illustrates her isolation as a "dejected pose" (190) and compares her to "Magdalene in a picture by an old master" (190). How horrible her sadness, her brokenness!

Even though Anna seems to take adultery very seriously, her lover Dmitri Gurov doesn't for he is not new to adultery. He seems to carry on as if he were above moral law and displays this notion when he becomes "bored with her... irritated by her naпve tone, by her repentance" (190). Nonetheless, he suddenly appears to feel the consequences of his affair when his fears are revealed at the theatre. Chekhov best illustrates Dmitri's alienation as he describes the paradox of this situation, "he understood clearly that in the whole world there was no human being so near, so precious, and so important to him" (194), yet it is apparent that he cannot share this knowledge, this life, or these moments with anyone, Dmitri and Anna's lives together have become "his sorrow and his joy" (194).

The breaking of moral law introduces another form of alienation in both stories of "Killings" and "The Lady with the Pet Dog", Dubus and Chekhov show how the protagonists are alienated from themselves. This is depicted at various times through situations where ideas of time and space seem blurred and surreal to the characters. Some characters appear to have out of body experiences while others see complete unhappiness in their future.

In "Killings", Matt's alienation from himself is best seen through his eyes as he replays the actual murder and burial of Richard's body. He seems to be in total disbelief that he is committing this vicious crime, especially when he feels the kick of the gun in his hand and the sound of the shot, which encapsulate him and "cut him off from all his time, all his history, isolated..." (94). Matt definitely knows that he is guilty of cold-blooded murder; this is shown in the action of the surreal moment he seems to experience. This is a moment of total exposure for Matt who stands there staring at the naked truth, knowing the guilt of his actions. Dubus deliberately, and with extreme detail, guides us through a process of cover up. Carefully, Matt and Willis cover the grave with dirt, they cover the blood on the dirt road, then use leaves to hide all other evidence of where they walked. The irony here is that there are no leaves to cover Matt's guilt, this is evident as he re-tells the story to Ruth, Matt finds that "the words had no images for him, he did not see himself doing what the words said he had done; he only saw himself on that road" (95-96). Matt shows he is alienated from himself through this denial.

Anna's character in "The Lady with the Pet Dog" also experiences self-alienation as seen in the surreal or dazed moments brought upon by her apparent and extreme feelings of guilt. She is ashamed of her actions, of the truth, and shows this when she describes herself as a "vulgar, vile woman whom anyone may despise" (190). In her world, anyone would be right to look down on her, even loathe her! Chekhov paints a good picture