How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Sling Blade.
Quote #1
KARL: Never did know too much of nobody down there, not to be helping me out no way, mmhmm.
The more we learn about Karl's family, the more we realize that the "nobody" he's talking about from his hometown doesn't only include the townsfolk—it also includes his family. To say he wasn't close to his family would be an understatement.
Quote #2
LINDA: Frank loves company. You know, especially after his daddy passed and all.
Frank, like Karl, isn't close to his father. But in Frank's case, it's because his father committed suicide. In a way, both Karl and Frank deal with thoughts that their own fathers never wanted them.
Quote #3
LINDA: You know he's always after a father figure. […] I don't think he sees you as a "guy" guy.
Linda's comment here sets up Karl as a father figure for Frank. Is Karl a father figure, a brother, a friend, or all three to young Frank? Why? Do Frank and Karl see the dynamic in different ways?