Esteban Martinez

In Memory of Gods and Heroes Esteban Martinez

Santiago wants to kill Tony because Tony beats and otherwise abuses Robin and her children. Despite Santiago's murderous intent, the steps he takes toward killing Tony-drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for courage, buying a .45 Smith and Wesson, practicing marksmanship at a shooting range, confessing his murder plan to important persons in his life-amount to nothing more than hesitation and avoidance. This buys Santiago time during which-through the process of remembering childhood acts of heroism performed by himself and those he loves-he comes to accept the fact that, regardless of our child-like wishes, pure and profane life realities coexist, that sometimes we don't know the difference between the two and that we must remember the unique realities of our lives, beautiful and ugly, because from these we derive meaning and strength.