Character Analysis: Dave LaJoy

Dave LaJoy is possibly the most complex, intriguing character in When the Killing’s Done. His entire life, from his name to his actions, is completely contradictory. LaJoy, in spite of his surname, is a man who lives a rather joyless life. He is a rude, intimidating man who owns a chain of electronic stores, a BMW, a large house in Montecito, and a yacht.

Despite his activism on the part of animals, LaJoy holds very little regard for human life and is extremely self-centered. When he attacks Alma at her press conference about the eradication of rats from Anacapa, he ignores the impact on the rats on the native and endangered species on the island. After the incident, LaJoy is most disturbed at the fact that an article written about the incident does not mention him or the FPA by name.

However, LaJoy, like his lover Anise, has some redeeming qualities. He, in a rather stereotypical fashion, converts to animal rights fanaticism because he, when reading a pamphlet about slaughterhouses, recognizes in all too vivid detail the horrific violence that ended in his hamburger. Prior to this conversion, he engaged in a short relationship with Alma, which led to his rejection of all things, scientific or otherwise, that lead to the killing of animals.

In many ways, Alma and Dave are similar. They are both passionate about the environment in their own minds, extreme in their tactics, and flawed in their logic. They embody in their inherent hypocrisy the folk music-loving, Prius-driving, super-elite pseudo-activists rampant in modern society. Both have deluded themselves into believing that they are fighting to protect the helpless instead of furthering their own interests and garnering attention for themselves. In many ways, it is impossible to understand Dave without understanding Alma because they are foils of each other.

Yet Alma has many advantages over Dave, including the support of her Park Service boyfriend, Tim Sickafoose and the protection of the government, law, and academia. Dave, a romantic ruled by his fiery temper, is forced by the nature of his work to rely on flimsy donations, personal wealth, and morally ambiguous campaigns to see his work done.

In many ways, Dave LaJoy is the modern embodiment of the tyrant of 19^th century Gothic romantic novels. He is a slave to his rage, manipulates a beleaguered woman (in this case, Anise) to his advantage, and toys with the laws of nature and society. Dave LaJoy is an archetype, he remains static throughout the entire novel, and, though he speaks the words of the title during his protest, he is not the protagonist. However, it is difficult to call him the antagonist for his enemy is as unlikeable as he is.

Perhaps the purpose of LaJoy is to depict the failure of American idealism, to show how a man with nothing to lose takes up a cause of which he knows precious little. Perhaps LaJoy is simply a man who does not understand or acknowledge his place in the world just like the rats and native species. LaJoy does pose vital questions to the debate of who holds the power of deciding who lives and who dies, for to him it is not the scientists and chemical companies, but the average, spiritual man.

Examples of Logos, Ethos, and Pathos in FDR's Pearl Harbor Speech

Politicians and other public figures frequently make use of rhetorical devices in speeches and addresses in order to legitimize and qualify their arguments. Below, I have copied the text of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech to Congress, which officially states his belief that America should declare war on Japan and the other Axis powers in retaliation to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor Address

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.


As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Logos: President Roosevelt justifies an attack on Japan first by validating his point that the United States was at peace with Japan and that Japan was responsible for the hostilities between the two countries. He continues by stating that Japan attacked America and various Pacific islands and that the American government and military are obligated to protect American citizens. His logic provides an appropriate rationale for entering World War II.

Ethos: Roosevelt depicts American officials as proponents of peace and negotiation and the Japanese government as treacherous, deceptive villains. This characterization of the two opposing powers depicts the Americans as moral saviors and the Japanese as vicious assailants. He even states that America is pursuing a "righteous victory."

Pathos: Finally, Roosevelt appeals to Americans by saying that he empathizes with and speaks on behalf of the people. He also states his sorrow at the death of so many innocent American soldiers, which appeals to the emotional side of listeners.

Chapter 5 Response

Chapter five begins with an anecdote about an invasive species in Guam: the brown tree snake. Alma studied these snakes as fieldwork, which ignited her interest in invasive species. Shifting focus to the present, the rats have been successfully eradicated from Anacapa, and Alma is satisfied. She believes wholeheartedly that she was right in her theory and methods as the seabird and deer mouse populations have risen, and the public is largely on her side. Unfortunately, Dave LaJoy remains a problem and threatens her with a lawsuit. Alma reveals that she and Dave had a short, ill-fated relationship. Generally in this chapter, readers learn more about Alma and her history. She is half Japanese, she likes folk music, she is a workaholic who once had a musician-scientist workaholic boyfriend, and she is passionate about her work. These descriptions make her seem more relatable and real. The chapter also stresses the connections in ideology between Dave and Alma. Though she relies on scientific truth and he on passion and ideals, both wish to save a species or many species at the expense of another. In that sense, Boyle is stating that one cannot survive while the other lives and that death and survival are both necessary aspects of life and the ecosystem. Therefore, when these two ideologies are so at odds yet so similar, it will most certainly lead to future conflicts because neither Alma’s work nor Dave’s opposition will ever end. What will happen at Santa Cruz remains to be seen.

Vocabulary:

Ornithology - a branch of zoology concerned with the study of birds

Chapter 4 Response

Chapter four is told from the perspective of Dave LaJoy, the dread-locked leader of the FPA. He is a rude, perpetually enraged man who is more upset by the fact that he and the FPA were not mentioned in an article about Alma’s address than the fact that, in his opinion, the article did not get the facts right. He lives in upscale Montecito, drives two cars, and owns a boat but, as many in our society today do, always wants to fight the power that gave it all to him. He is passionate about animal rights and safety but has little respect for humans, insulting a fat waitress and calling homeless people “bums.” He believes that Alma’s address is anti-animal propaganda that has been through Photoshop to overdramatize the plight of indigenous species while underemphasizing the rats. He and the FPA make a boat trip to Anacapa in a futile effort to save the rats, but Dave’s selfishness is once again highlighted through his fear of dying if the poisoner’s helicopter comes overhead. Later, his incompetency is shown when he attempts to give food to the wildlife, which could be disastrous to them and the ecosystem. Dave LaJoy is the perfect example of a mis-educated pseudo-activist whose wish for brief fame or infamy is shrouded in his insincere sympathy for the plight of animals.

Vocabulary:

Phalangeal - of or relating to the bones of fingers or toes

Chapter 3 Response

The third chapter is set close to the present day and introduces Beverly’s granddaughter, Alma, an ecologist and PhD to whom Beverly is simply a family legend and distant memory. Alma is committed to protecting the indigenous wildlife of the Channel Islands and is due to deliver a speech on her proposition to eradicate the invasive rat population of Anacapa. Rats were introduced to the island via the wreck of the Winfield Scott, a ship that went down near the islands almost 200 years ago, and are now threatening the survival of many of the island’s rare species. Alma believes the rats should be humanely poisoned so that the other species can survive and states this idea in her presentation. Unfortunately, members of the FPA are present at her address and subvert her goals. Dave LaJoy is their obnoxious leader who believes that the death of any animal is murder. He is an ill-informed whistleblower who has little depth of knowledge about his own convictions. He simply attacks anyone who has anything to do with the killing of animals. Through him, Boyle criticizes the actions of PETA, a group that uses aggressive, if not sometimes violent, means to attack their opponents. Boyle also condemns an audience who applauds either side whenever they make any point. The audience is representative of the public, which will internalize any study and support any cause that has a passionate spokesman. In this chapter, Boyle encourages his readers to be more discerning and to look at all the facts in order to come to the right conclusion.

Vocabulary:

Inveterate - Having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change

Macadam - a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820

Leman - A sweetheart; lover; beloved

Prandial - of or relating to a meal

Percolate - Spread gradually through an area or group of people

Peristalsis - the process of wavelike muscle contractions of the alimentary tract that moves food along

Chapter 2 Response

The second chapter provides more information about the history of Anacapa and more details of Beverly’s life and survival. Beverly is not the first person to inhabit the island as she sees dwellings in her search for water. The readers learn that many people attempted to colonize the island, but few succeeded. One species, however did survive, perhaps too well: the rat to which Beverly compares herself. They are the dominant species on the island. Boyle emphasizes Beverly’s distance from the natural world. Prior to her tragic arrival on Anacapa, she lived in a typical American household in which resources like tap water and shelter are taken for granted. In the wilderness, Beverly faces the elements, overwhelming thirst and hunger, and competition with other species. Yet she does adapt to her struggle despite incredible odds due to her animal instincts. She licks water from wet rocks, crushes live crabs, and attacks the invasive rats, all to survive. She also forgets her husband and her personal tragedies to facilitate her survival. For the second time, Beverly proves herself to be fit for her environment in the Darwinist sense. When the Coast Guard discovers her, she is almost unrecognizable, even to herself.

Vocabulary:

Tincture - an alcoholic extract or solution of a non-volatile substance

Vestigial - occurring or persisting as a rudimentary or degenerate structure

Tenuous - very weak or slight; insubstantial

Chapter 1 Response

In the first chapter, Boyle subtly introduces characters and themes of the novel. Beverly, a passenger on an ill-fated voyage to the Channel Islands on a ship bearing her own name, is Alma’s grandmother who has just married Till, a war veteran. Despite her femininity and delicacy compared to her husband and brother-in-law, Beverly is actually the most observant and insightful of the small crew. She is ultimately the one who notices the water seeping into the cabin, uses the Sears-Roebuck cooler to float, and reaches safety on an island despite incredible obstacles. In making Beverly the sole survivor of the shipwreck, Boyle can examine ideas about natural selection and what “fitness” truly means. Beverly, in surviving is the individual best suited for her environment and in that sense is almost like the rats that invaded the island years ago. Boyle alludes to another theme of his novel when Beverly recalls her high school English teacher, Mrs. Parminter, who can recite romantic poetry and advises her students to “let all the creatures be.” Choosing Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is perfect in many ways. It is a romantic poem and romantic poets emphasized the conflict between man and nature. The Coleridge poem in particular stresses punishment for the killing of an innocent albatross; an idea that is a counterpoint to Boyle’s novel, which examines whether killing a species is necessary to preserve indigenous species. Finally, Boyle’s writing style is very personal, almost akin to stream-of-consciousness, and alternately addresses the reader by using the second person tense and moves into the minds of his characters by using the third person limited. Though the tenses and thoughts shift quickly, the prose is not hard to follow as the ideas are interconnected.

Vocabulary:

Copepods - a group of crustaceans found in the sea and in nearly every freshwater habitat

Firmament - the vault or expanse of the sky

The Long Summer

In Evelyn Waugh's opus Brideshead Revisited, the all at once innocent and ambiguous character states "If only it could be like this always; always alone, always summer, the fruit always ripe..." and I am sure this is a universal feeling. One of Professor Wilson's stories deals with her time lived on Cole Street frequenting Grateful Dead concerts. I think summer is a lot like that. Friends, concerts, new places, new people, and the feeling of endlessness and exploration that seems to never end.

My most memorable summer was the one during which I attended a Playwriting and Screenwriting workshop at the Sewanee Young Writers' Conference. My friends and I went to outdoor concerts, scared ourselves with Ouija Boards, and watched fireworks under the stars up in the awe-inspiring mountains of Tennessee. I think that summer changed a lot of things for me. I realized that I really wanted to pursue a field in entertainment whether that meant film or theater, and that I wanted to have a job in which these amazing experiences could be shared with others. After all, I had always loved stories, why not become a story-teller?