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Dexter - law dawg - 03-02-2007
Maggers Wrote:Poor baby! Get that hand healed. I take it you're a righty? I'll have to wait until you feel better to learn what FWIW stands for.For What Its Worth......
I remember the engagement scene now, how it was not exactly meant to be but happened anyway. And I do think they are married. As I said earlier, the relationship between Dexter and his now-step-son will be very interesting to watch.
Feel better, LD.
And yeah, I can't wait to see how he "gets him straightened out...."
Dexter - Maggers - 03-02-2007
law dawg Wrote:For What Its Worth......
And yeah, I can't wait to see how he "gets him straightened out...."
LD, I'm curious as to what you think of Dexter's adopted dad, Henry (is that his name?). I think Henry is an exceptional character among so many exceptional characters. To think that Dexter was put on the right path by his policeman father. Yet the right path is so wrong but so very right for Dexter. How conflicted was Henry about Dexter? Or was he conflicted at all? Yes, a fascinating character, indeed.
Dexter - Auskar - 03-02-2007
Maggers Wrote:LD, I'm curious as to what you think of Dexter's adopted dad, Henry (is that his name?). I think Henry is an exceptional character among so many exceptional characters. To think that Dexter was put on the right path by his policeman father. Yet the right path is so wrong but so very right for Dexter. How conflicted was Henry about Dexter? Or was he conflicted at all? Yes, a fascinating character, indeed.I'm not LawDawg, but I don't think Harry was conflicted about Dexter at all -- at least once he realized that his adopted son was a sociopath.
Dexter basically lives by "Harry's Rules" that help him HIDE his problems AND his inability to understand and interact with humans on a REAL basis. Harry teaches Dexter how to FAKE being a "regular" person. That's why Dexter started dating his girlfriend, for example. It's a part of his "costume", but has some positive unanticipated benefits.
Before he died, Harry is the one that chose Dexter's first human victim.
Once Harry discovered Dexters "proclivities," he purposely raised Dexter as a weapon to provide JUSTICE in a world where police have their hands tied by the system. That is why Dexter kills the bad guys.
Harry's fiance's son (we find out later in the books, anyway) (*****SPOILER!****) is also on the road to becoming a sociopath (because of his abusive criminal father), and Dexter becomes his Harry (at least that is how we are led to anticipate how the next book will go).
Dexter - Maggers - 03-02-2007
I asked Law Dawg because he works in law enforcement, and I'm interested in his particular perspective on Harry (not Henry, oops).
So, LD, the question still stands. What do you think of Harry? I guess the question I really want to ask is if you could set Dexter straight, as Harry did. I'm not sure I could, but then, I haven't seen the kind of things that folks who work in law enforcement do. Seeing those kinds of horrors and witnessing the kinds of monsters who perpetrate those horrors, I can see where Harry would want to use Dexter as a force for good amongst the evil, though to do that specific kind of good, Dexter must do evil.
Again I say, Harry is a wonderful character amongst so many wonderful characters.
Dexter - law dawg - 03-02-2007
Maggers Wrote:LD, I'm curious as to what you think of Dexter's adopted dad, Henry (is that his name?). I think Henry is an exceptional character among so many exceptional characters. To think that Dexter was put on the right path by his policeman father. Yet the right path is so wrong but so very right for Dexter. How conflicted was Henry about Dexter? Or was he conflicted at all? Yes, a fascinating character, indeed.My BS opinion, and it ain't PC-
Violence is simply another form of communication. Its neither right nor wrong in and of itself. It depends on how its used. Killing another may be good or it may be bad, depending. If I killed someone trying to rape and kill you, you'd call it good more than likely. If I was the one trying to do the raping and killing, you'd say it bad.
Henry wanted Dexter, knowing the killing was inevitable, to use it in such a matter to be good. Dexter is doing the same killing I did in defense of the rapee in the above paragraph, just after the fact.
Its more a matter of timeliness in my opinion.
Its still against the law, though, because law isn't usually about right and wrong as it is to make society run smoothly. I think Henry sees this and appreciates it. He wanted his whole life to do to those guys he dealt with what Dexter does, but he had a block against it (societal, fear of retribution, or whatever). Dexter has no such issues. On the contrary, he has a compulsion. He MUST do it, the only question is - to whom.
Henry just honed and shaped it. I don't think he was much conflicted at all.
Dexter - Maggers - 03-02-2007
law dawg Wrote:My BS opinion, and it ain't PC-
Violence is simply another form of communication. Its neither right nor wrong in and of itself. It depends on how its used. Killing another may be good or it may be bad, depending. If I killed someone trying to rape and kill you, you'd call it good more than likely. If I was the one trying to do the raping and killing, you'd say it bad.
Henry wanted Dexter, knowing the killing was inevitable, to use it in such a matter to be good. Dexter is doing the same killing I did in defense of the rapee in the above paragraph, just after the fact.
Its more a matter of timeliness in my opinion.
Its still against the law, though, because law isn't usually about right and wrong as it is to make society run smoothly. I think Henry sees this and appreciates it. He wanted his whole life to do to those guys he dealt with what Dexter does, but he had a block against it (societal, fear of retribution, or whatever). Dexter has no such issues. On the contrary, he has a compulsion. He MUST do it, the only question is - to whom.
Henry just honed and shaped it. I don't think he was much conflicted at all.
Thanks, LD, for the thoughtful response. I think in the end, Henry was not conflicted. But I wonder what he thought when he first realized Dexter's dark compulsion? I think that would be a very interesting backstory, and I hope the author will take us there someday, to see Henry's process as well as Dexter's in coming to grips with the unthinkable.
Dexter - law dawg - 03-02-2007
Maggers Wrote:Thanks, LD, for the thoughtful response. I think in the end, Henry was not conflicted. But I wonder what he thought when he first realized Dexter's dark compulsion? I think that would be a very interesting backstory, and I hope the author will take us there someday, to see Henry's process as well as Dexter's in coming to grips with the unthinkable.I think he was preparing himself from the day he got Dexter, if the conversation he had with Dex was any indication.
I think Henry's greatest worry is that Dexter will lose his control of the Dark and kill indiscriminately, which would betray everything Henry stands for.
Dexter - Maggers - 03-02-2007
law dawg Wrote:I think he was preparing himself from the day he got Dexter, if the conversation he had with Dex was any indication.You know, you're right. I have to read it again. He adopted Dexter knowing what the child had experienced, and also knowing the deep, dark impact of such an event in a young child's life. God, that makes Henry even more of a fascinating character and a real hero, a man with much more compassion than most.
Quote:I think Henry's greatest worry is that Dexter will lose his control of the Dark and kill indiscriminately, which would betray everything Henry stands for.Indeed, it's the worry for all of us who love Dexter.
Dexter - law dawg - 03-02-2007
Maggers Wrote:You know, you're right. I have to read it again. He adopted Dexter knowing what the child had experienced, and also knowing the deep, dark impact of such an event in a young child's life. God, that makes Henry even more of a fascinating character and a real hero, a man with much more compassion than most.Miss Maggers,
Indeed, it's the worry for all of us who love Dexter.
Have you seen the Showtime show yet? How does it compare, if so?
Dexter - Maggers - 03-03-2007
law dawg Wrote:Miss Maggers,
Have you seen the Showtime show yet? How does it compare, if so?
Sadly, no, I don't get Showtime. I'll have to wait for it to come out on DVD. I'm looking forward to it.