Shot in the Heart is the history of an American family inextricably tied up with violence, and the story of how the children of this family committed murder and murdered themselves in payment for a long lineage of ruin. Haunting, harrowing, and profoundly affecting, Shot in the Heart exposes and explores a dark vein of American life that most of us would rather ignore. It is a book that will leave no reader unchanged. Families often share private legacies and myths. The Gilmore children grew up hearing family secrets and stories, from the abandonment of their father by Houdini to the dramatic tale of a public hanging witnessed by their mother as a young girl.
Children often act out the unexpressed fears and desires of their parents.
Give examples of this from Shot in the Heart or from your own experience. Mormonism is the predominant religion originating in America, and is among the fastest growing religions in the world. As a system of beliefs, religion can have the dramatic ability to shape our perceptions of the world. Gary Gilmore was first incarcerated at age fourteen. Discuss the advisabililty of incarcerating youthful offenders.