Leonard Peacock Analysis

On the eve of his 18th birthday, Leonard Peacock does not celebrate with a birthday party, an outing with friends, or even a simple family dinner. Instead he plans to kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol. Although it is clear to the reader that Leonard is teetering on the brink of self destruction and insanity, he is far from being a cold hearted murderer and even farther from actually having a desire to die. In fact, Leonards violent and erratic behavior is an explicit cry for help. In actuality, he is a clever yet deeply troubled boy who has not only been robbed of his innocence by his trusted friend but has also been abandoned by both his parents. He has no one and no resources to help him battle

To warrant killing someone—especially someone you used to love and trust—requires a deep loathing and resentment. That intense hatred Leonard grew of Asher emerged due to years of sexual abuse. While both boys were still in an unbreakable friendship, young and innocent , Asher’s uncle rapes Asher on a fishing trip. Upon his return home, a tortured Asher copes by imposing the same pain on young Leonard that continues for two agonising years of sexual, emotional and physical abuse. “Asher told me not to ask questions—to keep what happened between us, not to think about it too much—and he looked mean when he said it, like someone I didn’t know, not like a friend at all. The more it happened the less friendly he got. I didn’t want to lose my friend. Haven’t you ever done things you don't want to do just to keep a friend?”(187) Asher had normalised the abuse by manipulating and intimidating Leonard. He selfishly bent Leonard to his will to manage his own trauma, no matter how confused or scared Leonard had felt. Leonard not only feared the abuse, but also had a crippling fear of losing his friend in what seemed as a sudden overnight change. He is consumed by guilt since he has this delusional notion that he is at fault for Asher’s change.“Asher definitely deserved to die. Or maybe I should have tried to save Asher back when all the bad shit

His father, a failed rockstar, drug addict, and alcoholic abandoned his family to flee from debt collectors. His mother took this opportunity to pursue her career in fashion again. It is clear that Leonard holds a deep hatred for his parents, especially his mother, based off of his commentary. “Linda is my mother. I call her Linda because it annoys her. She says it “de-moms” her. But she de-mommed herself when she rented an apartment in Manhattan and left me all alone in South Jersey to fend for myself most weeks and increasingly more weekends.”(9) Leonard’s mother physically and emotionally deserted her son to move to New York and run her own fashion business. She has made a new life for herself whereas she completely ignores the fact that Leonard’s life is falling apart. Although she wants to maintain the appearance of a perfect mother she fails at actually being a mother and never makes an attempt to listen or help Leonard. During one of Leonard’s depressive episodes she selfishly denies that he has a mental illness despite the clear signs. “My high school called a hundred million times before Linda checked the home answering machine from NYC...Any normal mom would have taken me to a therapist or at least a doctor, but not Linda. I heard her talking on the phone to her French boyfriend and she actually said, “I won’t let some therapist blame me for