Character Analysis
Gabriel's mentally disabled brother only makes a brief appearance in a flashback, but when Gabriel recounts killing his brother to Finnigan, we see that Gabriel feels a mixture of regret and peace now that his brother is dead.
Sure, he feels badly for stuffing him in a refrigerator and killing him—but on the other hand, Gabriel's honest about the fact that he'd wished for his brother's death many times before. Why? He tells us that his brother "could not talk, but he could gurgle, and he was capable of joy" (7.28)—but despite this, and despite Gabriel's love for his brother and efforts to help him, he also understands Vernon's life as an unhappy one. The poor kid was hated by both of his parents and kept on a cot most of the time while his seven-year-old brother took care of him.
Vernon brings out his parents' hypocrisy for Gabriel to see, but he also gives us our first glimpse of Gabriel's dark side. Poor kid.