Back when she was first lady of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton said, "It takes a village to raise a child." Easy for her to say: Chelsea Clinton didn't murder anyone with a bow and arrow the way Kevin does in this book. Who is to blame for the actions of a child, especially when the actions are so heinous? In We Need to Talk About Kevin, Eva Khatchadourian tries to find out who, in her metaphorical village, is responsible.
Questions About Guilt and Blame
- Is Eva to blame for Kevin's actions? Perhaps more importantly, which would be worse: if Eva were to blame, or if she were not?
- Why does Kevin say he is entirely responsible for what he did?
- Why doesn't Franklin ever assign any responsibility for Kevin? Does Franklin's laissez-faire parenting enable Kevin's bad behavior?
- Why does Laura Woolford's mother sue Eva? What does she hope to gain by legally blaming Eva for Kevin's crime?