The novel “Thieves Like Us” by Edward Anderson strips down conventional understanding by questioning the legitimacy of crime and undermining certainty while limiting the ability of the reader to distinguish between the narrator and the thoughts of the main character, Bowie. By breaking down the rules of formal thought, this novel forces the reader to simply just think critically about meaning. This comes in many forms as the novel asks about what it means to steal, whether anything can be set in stone, and if point of view matters.
The meaning of theft is questioned throughout “Thieves Like Us”. At the beginning of the novel, Bowie and two companions break out of jail and set off on a bank-robbing spree. “Thieves Like Us” questions the definition of stealing through Bowie’s understanding of right and wrong. Bowie claims he never ‘robbed anybody in [his] life that couldn’t afford to lose it.” No, Bowie would “as soon beg as to do that” (Anderson 257). Through this quote, Bowie shows that his moral compass allows him to rob people who could afford to lose the money. The novel also relates characters to Bowie as “Real People”. “Real People” are people that understand what it’s like to struggle and live the way Bowie had. “[He] was Real People. [They] had thieved together when they were kids” (Anderson 11). But Real People weren’t just thieves; a Real Person could be “…[doing] all she can” to make enough money to get her husband out of jail (Anderson 24). Real People were also people who had been victims of the banking system: “’Boy, I just wish you had go this bank here ‘fore it went busted and took my wad. I’d rather for a poor boy like you to have than them goddamned bakers” (Anderson 73). All of these Real People are people that had been against the federal system. Bowie was able to rob from the banks because “It’s them billionaires up in New York that lose it. Them capitalists,” and Bowie didn’t recognize billionaire capitalists as Real People (Anderson 257). The characterization of Real People versus the characterization of Unreal People further emphasizes the distinction between the two categories. Bowie believes “that Dee Moseley was Real People” (Anderson 11). As a Real Person, Dee Mobley is entitled to further characterization and is thoroughly described by Bowie: “he had a heavy face rough as oak bark and long, black sideburns touched with wiry gray” (Anderson 19). The in-depth description of Dee is not a random occurrence, and it is available to all real people. Later in the novel, Bowie goes with his buddy T-Dub to his sister-in-law’s place. Mattie, the sister-in-law, provides for the men as they lay low after robbing a bank. Mattie was characterized as “a big woman with hips like sacks of oats; the lines in her face were like the veins in dried corn-blades” (Anderson 44). To contrast this, Anderson only ever describes Unreal People by using their job title: “them laws…druggists…capitalists…politicians.” Doing this allows Anderson to abstract these characters into intangible figures and limits the availability of empathy towards them. By classifying people into different categories, “Thieves Like Us” attempts to alter the readers’ perception of reality. …show more content…
If people within the novel are denied the same realness as the main characters, it makes it easier for readers to relieve Bowie’s culpability in the crimes he commits. Anderson is effectively denying characterization of anyone who isn’t a Real Person, and therefore he allows the reader to recognize the existence of Unreal People only in relation to Bowie by asking the question: if a character is not real, how can they be robbed? Further, crime is usually recognized as theft versus non-theft, but Anderson breaks down the categorization of crime and rebuilds it instead to be considered as victim versus non-victim. By reimagining the definition of crime, Anderson forces his audience to re-consider their own definition of crime. Anderson further confuses the reader by disguising his motives within the narration style of the novel. While the novel is written in third-person perspective, the narrator adopts the speaking style and thought process of Bowie. While reading the book, the reader feels as if they are inside Bowie’s head, which only helps them further understand Bowie’s psyche. This style is used without
The meaning of theft is questioned throughout “Thieves Like Us”. At the beginning of the novel, Bowie and two companions break out of jail and set off on a bank-robbing spree. “Thieves Like Us” questions the definition of stealing through Bowie’s understanding of right and wrong. Bowie claims he never ‘robbed anybody in [his] life that couldn’t afford to lose it.” No, Bowie would “as soon beg as to do that” (Anderson 257). Through this quote, Bowie shows that his moral compass allows him to rob people who could afford to lose the money. The novel also relates characters to Bowie as “Real People”. “Real People” are people that understand what it’s like to struggle and live the way Bowie had. “[He] was Real People. [They] had thieved together when they were kids” (Anderson 11). But Real People weren’t just thieves; a Real Person could be “…[doing] all she can” to make enough money to get her husband out of jail (Anderson 24). Real People were also people who had been victims of the banking system: “’Boy, I just wish you had go this bank here ‘fore it went busted and took my wad. I’d rather for a poor boy like you to have than them goddamned bakers” (Anderson 73). All of these Real People are people that had been against the federal system. Bowie was able to rob from the banks because “It’s them billionaires up in New York that lose it. Them capitalists,” and Bowie didn’t recognize billionaire capitalists as Real People (Anderson 257). The characterization of Real People versus the characterization of Unreal People further emphasizes the distinction between the two categories. Bowie believes “that Dee Moseley was Real People” (Anderson 11). As a Real Person, Dee Mobley is entitled to further characterization and is thoroughly described by Bowie: “he had a heavy face rough as oak bark and long, black sideburns touched with wiry gray” (Anderson 19). The in-depth description of Dee is not a random occurrence, and it is available to all real people. Later in the novel, Bowie goes with his buddy T-Dub to his sister-in-law’s place. Mattie, the sister-in-law, provides for the men as they lay low after robbing a bank. Mattie was characterized as “a big woman with hips like sacks of oats; the lines in her face were like the veins in dried corn-blades” (Anderson 44). To contrast this, Anderson only ever describes Unreal People by using their job title: “them laws…druggists…capitalists…politicians.” Doing this allows Anderson to abstract these characters into intangible figures and limits the availability of empathy towards them. By classifying people into different categories, “Thieves Like Us” attempts to alter the readers’ perception of reality. …show more content…
If people within the novel are denied the same realness as the main characters, it makes it easier for readers to relieve Bowie’s culpability in the crimes he commits. Anderson is effectively denying characterization of anyone who isn’t a Real Person, and therefore he allows the reader to recognize the existence of Unreal People only in relation to Bowie by asking the question: if a character is not real, how can they be robbed? Further, crime is usually recognized as theft versus non-theft, but Anderson breaks down the categorization of crime and rebuilds it instead to be considered as victim versus non-victim. By reimagining the definition of crime, Anderson forces his audience to re-consider their own definition of crime. Anderson further confuses the reader by disguising his motives within the narration style of the novel. While the novel is written in third-person perspective, the narrator adopts the speaking style and thought process of Bowie. While reading the book, the reader feels as if they are inside Bowie’s head, which only helps them further understand Bowie’s psyche. This style is used without