This is a story about goofy and incompetent criminals making a plan that is bound to fail due to their fundamental misunderstanding of the situation they are crafting for themselves. We return again to the word "schadenfreude" and our love of watching those who rebel against societal order getting what they deserve. That's the fundamental attraction to poetic justice. Criminals threaten the social order, but when victim isn't what they were expecting, said criminals end up humiliated and defeated. This concept ties very closely into the aforementioned concept of the folly of a plan.
Questions About Justice and Judgment
- We all know that Johnny is technically the victim, but is there any indication that Johnny is aware of this?
- What is Sam's ultimate act of Hubris? How does he convince himself that this is going to work?
- Is Sam sympathetic to the effect this caper is having on Bill, and how can you be sure?
Chew on This
Sam and Bill aren't criminals—they're heroes and they certainly don't deserve what's happening to them.
Sam and Bill are criminal nitwits and justice is duly served upon them.