What is your opinion about Hank, the main... â€� A Simple Plan Q&A

Anchit asked:

What is your opinion about Hank, the main character? Could you relate to him? If yes, what do you think makes him someone you can relate to?

flag

like
10 years ago
3 answers

To answer questions about A Simple Plan, please sign up.

Anthony Mitchell

This answer contains spoilersâ€� (view spoiler)[Hank is kind of like the every man in this situation, at first. He's not even in favor of keeping the money, which most hard working, tax paying folks would agree with. He has a decent job, a wife and a daughter on the way. He really has no great reason for absolutely needing the money. Unfortunately his out of work brother and his also unemployed friend see an easy goldmine after lives of drunken sloth. So they manage to sway him, although I'd have to say that I wouldn't have any part of that and would turn it in. It's really the only rational thing to do. Easy money always comes with a high price in my opinion.

On the other hand, there is part of all of us that longs to keep the money and beyond that, to keep our own selves out of jail. Hank rationalizes keeping it since the grain store does not pay that well, he has a family on the way, etc. but he is still very careful about keeping it. He is smart but he's becoming more and more corrupt as the story progresses. When Jacob hits the Dwight guy and thinks he's killed him, Hank is trying to save Jacob from going to jail, but he is also trying to save himself and the money. Then when he finishes Dwight off, we know he is now willing to do a lot to keep the secret and eventually, we see how murderous he's willing to be just to protect the secret.

For me, in the end, he is relatable because he is not only smart, but he's doing something that we all want to do- find a pot of gold. I can't say I haven't thought of different ways to funnel the money and keep it, say like taking a trip to Switzerland to wash it. I think there are ways they could have done this. Of course, this is me wanting them to get away with it and it's two fold. For one, Hank didn't want to keep it at first. He was goaded. And next now that he's gone through this total hell, why NOT keep it? His friends and his own brother are gone forever. He's paid a hell of a lot. It only makes sense that he keep it now. This is what draws the reader in along with the morbid spectacle, like watching a very slow car wreck unfold and grow worse and worse over the course of the book. (hide spoiler)]

flag

Audrey

This answer contains spoilersâ€� (view spoiler)

flag

Huck Flynn The great thing about the book is that we empathise with Hank all the way, even if we don't condone his actions. In fact, while we are shocked at his acts later on, the escalation is gradual enough to prepare us and we can understand the tension he is under so that it all seems unnatural and unreal, heat of the moment stuff. His ordinariness make him a great everyman character and his good points almost excuse the bad.

flag

More questions about A Simple Planâ€�

A Simple Plan

by Scott Smith

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

About Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions