Kenneth Andre Dubus's Greatest Regret features Kenneth Girard in The Intruder as a thirteen-year-old boy struggling to find his identity. This is Kenneth's story because he is the main person the narrator talks about. Kenneth shot who he thought was a tramp because he was influenced by his religion and his gender's expectations to be "the man" of the house and to protect his sister. He felt like he was a hero by taking down the predator to stop it from entering the window, but there are many other options he could have taken. He could have shot the intruder's leg or called the police, he didn't need to aim for the head. Most people would argue that "desperate times call for desperate measures" or that it was a "fight or flight" response, but he had time to aim at his target and pull the trigger. It is implied in the story that Connie, Kenneth's sister, knew that Douglass was going to sneak in through her window and was probably the one who invited him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay “He closed his eyes and the night flowed together in his mind and he remembered the rifle in the corner and he thought: I'll throw tomorrow into the creek. I never want to see it again” (Dubus 456). This statement from the story shows that Kenneth he didn't know what he was aiming for. If he had known he wouldn't have pulled the trigger. He also expresses how guilty he felt about what he did of Kenneth may have stemmed from his love for his sister. If the intruder had been caught climbing on Kenneth's window, perhaps events would have changed direction. Kenneth would have seen the face and most likely would not have shot, but the intruder was climbing to his sister's window. Dubus makes the readers aware of Kenneth's love for his sister in the main plot of the story, when Kenneth goes into the woods to dream. The audience realizes that Kenneth loves two things: being in the woods, where he can dream, and be with his sister. Kenneth must have felt as if his sister was in trouble, which led to his unexpected actions. The discussion in the story is about a thirteen year old with a rifle and the parents who allow it. For many, it is inferred that having a gun is part of Kenneth's family tradition or religion. He comes from a family of hunters and in his tradition there may not be an age limit for owning a rifle. “Then he took the rifle and the cleaning kit and sat in the rocking chair in the living room, with the rifle in his lap. He put a patch on the cleaning rod, dipped it in barrel cleaner, and pushed it down the barrel, causing the butt of the rod to bang against the muzzle” (Dubus 452). This statement tells us that Kenneth really knows how to handle a gun and might seem a little too knowledgeable for a 13 year old. Kenneth's actions in the story can most likely be labeled as man against himself. Kenneth obviously regrets what he did and if he could recover he would. He realizes that what he did was a sinful act and wants it to be a dream. “He would be asleep soon. He saw himself standing on the hill and throwing his rifle into the stream, then the stream became an ocean, and he stood on a high cliff and for a moment he was a powerful angel, throwing weapons, cruelty, sex and tears into the river . sea" (Dubus 456). Please note: This is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay La.