Psychoanalytical lens (p.306-327)

The most distinct lens to view the final part of the novel is the psychoanalytical lens because the author uses Eli and his reflections to demonstrate his psychological state. In the final portion of the novel Eli takes  Charlie to a doctor in Jacksonville to treat his hand. The author reveals the sensitive and loving side of Eli. "My touching Charlie's arm like this would not ever have happened when it was attached, and as such i blushed from the foreignness of it. I found myself running my thumb over the coarse of black hairs. I felt very close to Charlie when I did this." (P.311) Eli feels unloved which is why he tries to connect with women or gives them money because he thinks its his responsibility to take care of them. When Eli holds on to Charlie's severed arm he feels close to Charlie because Charlie doesn't show any love or appreciation. After the operation Eli goes into a restaurant and becomes very angry, he yells at the waiter even though the waiter didn't deserve to be yelled at. This is called anger displacement. After the operation the brothers go to their shack just outside Oregon City and Eli finds their savings stolen. Eli doesn't seem to care much, he is determined to kill the commodore and nothing will come in the way of this. "I matched his eyes with mine. I was surprised by what I saw, because he was only afraid  just like all the others who had died...I had wanted him to see me and lament that he had not shown me the proper respect"(p.318) Eli finally got to take his anger out on the man who truly deserved it, On the journey to the commodores house Eli is very determined which shows the amount of anger he has bottled up. The fact that Eli drowns the commodore instead of stabbing him in the heart with a blunt knife shows that Eli enjoyed the few seconds watching the commodore drown.

 

During the epilogue Eli and Charlie arrive to their mothers house. The author uses a lot of imagery which emphasises the fact that Eli had been looking for something to replace his mother but he finally realises that her love is irreplaceable  "When I see you, I feel the same. it is when I am away that I lose myself."(p.322) Eli expresses his feelings to his mother which enforces the idea of Oedipus complex not only in Charlie but also in Eli's unconscious mind. 

Psychoanalytical (p.171-306)

p    Psychology is the study in which the characteristics and the attitudes of the human minds are studied. During the climax of the novel "The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick Dewitt, the characters have many attributes that can be studied to determine their psychological state. Since Eli is the narrator and the main character in the novel the author reveals his guilt. Therefore Eli is the super ego in this novel because he feels guilty and has moralistic goals. When Eli's horse, Tub needed his eye socket to be disinfected, Tub would kick because of the pain and Eli feels very sympathetic when he goes through this process. Eli had many opportunities to trade Tub for a better horse but he did not because he believed he had a connection with Tub. Eli kept bringing up his old horse in the discussion and that they had to burn him which also shows relentless guilt.  Eli also feels very guilty when the brothers discover they have only been killing innocent people. The conscience is punishing the ego by the feeling of guilt. As a result to compounded guilt, Eli begins to think about leaving this line of employment and begins to picture himself living a decent life with a minimal amount of travelling. The guilt has began to determine the path he will take in conclusion to finding Warm. Eli dreams of the perfect life which includes him finding love and settling down in a small town. This is the super ego because he is striving for perfection. In this section Eli reveals the story behind their current employment for the commodore. When Morris had passed away Eli felt very disappointed and also began to feel guilty, he had also felt guilty for the nine dead beavers from the dam. As a result Eli's mood became very concerned and worried. The two brothers are very different, What do you think might have caused them to be so different? During the brother's childhood Charlie was introduced to violence very early in his life. Charlie had shot his father because his mother was getting abused by his father. This is an example of an oedipal complex because Charlie chose to kill his father which shows that Charlie favours his mother more than his father.

 As a result Charlie has eliminated the competitor and is left with many responsibilities. This has led into his excessive alcohol consumption and the many bar fights he has gotten involved in and also provoked. Charlie is a cold blooded killer and an alcoholic. The author has lead us to believe that his early exposure to violence is the cause for his psychological issues. Charlie considers killing Morris and Warm after he realized that they were innocent. Charlie is the id in this novel because he doesn't have any morals or any thoughts of repercussions for his actions. Do you think there might be other reasons for his excessive alcohol consumption ? After Charlie has burnt his hand he begins to feel more independent and quiet which could be depression because he knows that his hand is never going to be the same.  

feminist (page 101-167)

In the 1800's women did not have as many rights as men did which included voting. Jobs and chores were done according to gender and age. In this portion of "The Sisters brothers" by Patrick Dewitt, the brothers have arrived in California. The brothers have killed a female bear with red fur for the reward of one hundred dollars. The author uses a female bear to symbolise the bravery of men because a bear is symbolized as very dangerous and vicious. The bear is brought to Mr.Mayfield for a reward of one hundred dollars. At the office an old women is called in to wash and put the fur on display. "I said, "the women is too old for such tasks." Mayfield shook his head. "She is a dynamo. I have tried to assign her simpler, lighter work,"(p.121) The author devalues the females especially in this potion of the novel.  The fact that it is an old woman that puts the fur on display surprises Eli because women are considered weaker than men and the fact that she is old makes her weaker. The concern for her well being is considered by both Eli and Mr. Mayfield but it is only considered because of their ignorance. To celebrate Mr. Mayfield calls in some whores for himself and the two brothers. Reference is made to the whores on page 122 "the room filled with painted whores, seven in number, each of them frills and lace, each of them already drunk." The idea of whores fortifies the idea of women being lower than men. Whores illustrates that  the pleasuring of men has developed into occupations. Women are basically used for their bodies to satisfy the needs of men because men consider themselves far superior. 

Eli has no interest in the whores that Mr. Mayfield has called into the room. He is interested in a women that works as a bookkeeper for Mr. Mayfield. The author uses this minor character to illustrate that women are very caring and also afraid. This is shown when the bookkeeper takes Charlie into a room that has been locked for a long time for his security from Mr. Mayfield and the trappers. She is scared away when Eli shoots into the floor thinking that the catchers are occupying the room beneath his. Eli opens the door and waits for the trappers to come and fight him. Since Eli is intoxicated so he does things he normally wouldn't. He becomes "manly" when he is drunk. The author reveals the ideology men use they are used to getting intoxicated for courage. This is shown when Eli has enough courage to ask he bookkeeper questions that he normally wouldn't. the author also reveals the sensitive side of Eli when he gives his share of the reward to the bookkeeper. Eli is portrayed as weak and feminine due to his sensitive side. The stereotype that women are sensitive and caring enforces the feminine characteristics. what are your thoughts on the feminism in the 1800's from the insight of this section of the novel ?

Marxist lens (Pages 1-97)

In the first portion of "The Sisters Brothers" by: Patrick Dewitt, is a story narrated by Eli about two brothers, Eli and Charlie Sisters, who work as hired killers around the time of the California gold rush. they work for the commodore who sends them to kill a prospector Herman Kermit Warm. The novel takes place in the 1800's. There is low law enforcement and corruption often occurs without detection. The commodore symbolises the government or the power and the Sisters brothers symbolise the working class.The commodore pays the killers well which shows the power of wealth and the acts people will commit to gain wealth. The Sisters brothers are making a profit from the job but the commodore would also gain the profit of the product which would be stolen from the prospector. The commodore is very well respected by the killers because they assume his wealth is achieved through good acts also the killers believe that they are assassinating evil people. ""I'm to be lead man on this one, Eli" "who says so." "commodore says so""(p.7) The commodore has given Charlie power over Eli  which creates a large argument between the two brothers. The boss has power to give more power to the one of the brothers since he is favoured by the boss. This shows that the upper class can govern the lower class since the upper class is very wealthy. The commodore is very wealthy but he continues to send the killers to assassinate innocent and hard working people for his benefit and the opportunity to become more powerful. "Money can't buy happiness" this is a saying that can be used to describe the commodores actions of greed. Although the commodore sends the brothers to kill people for his own benefit the commodore profits more than the brothers and does the least amount of work. The commodore also symbolises corruption because he lies to the brothers about the targets and only targets the people that will benefit him when they are dead.

 

This comic illustrates the mentality that is used by the commodore and the amount of selfishness he has. In the beginning of their journey to San Francisco Charlie abuses his power and doesn't consider his brother's ideas or take much input from Eli  because he has made some mistakes in the past. When the Sisters brothers reach a town called Jacksonville they spend some time at a hotel. Eli is attracted to one of the workers and he ends up giving her a lot of money. The mentality that money is power is shown by Eli even though the money he gave was for a good cause.