Ch. 2 - The Adventurer

Chris OConnor · Fri May 28, 2010 6:23 pm

Ch. 2 - The Adventurer

stahrwe · Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:53 pm

The Adventurer is a very short chapter introducing Julian Harvey. In the chapter's three pages we learn just enough about Harvy to form a picture of him in our mind.

We learn that Harvey was a male model and the picture on page 17 shows him preparing to shoot an arrow from a bow. The picture does not explian the pose but my first impression was of Tarzan an odd coincicence given Terry's close affinity for that character.

I would like to ask docsafari if the picture was deliberately selected for that reaon?

We also learn that Harvey served in the air force had owned some boats and married a former flight attendant.

The chapter's brevity was a bit of a surprise to introdce so important a person to the reader. We do learn more about Harvy as the book progresses but in retrospect this chapter might be saying, 'look, no matter how much you know about this man, it isn't going to help figure him out.'

docsafari · Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:12 pm

The brevity of that chapter was an editor's decision, not mine! But it is true that harvey's character will always be less than completely knowable. The picture of him as a model was chosen to show both his attractive physique, vanity and narcissism. No; I didn't think of him as tarzan-like, but it is an interesting hypothesis.

stahrwe · Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:39 pm


	docsafari wrote: The brevity of that chapter was an editor's decision, not mine! But it is true that harvey's character will always be less than completely knowable. The picture of him as a model was chosen to show both his attractive physique, vanity and narcissism. No; I didn't think of him as tarzan-like, but it is an interesting hypothesis.

One of the distubing things about Harvey is that the more we get to know of him the more of a mystery he becomes. I actually like the brief chapter introduction. Essentially we are going along on the adventure with the family and under the circumstances how much did they know about this man and his wife? Less than we did by the end of three pages.

farmgirlshelley · Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:42 pm

I hated that the book spent so much time on Harvey. I understand the why but I still think there was way too much and a lot of it should have been taken out.

stahrwe · Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:28 am


	farmgirlshelley wrote: I hated that the book spent so much time on Harvey. I understand the why but I still think there was way too much and a lot of it should have been taken out.

I understand your feeling but there almost seemed to be two Harvey's. The good natured, sailor who loved the water, and the homocidal monster. What motive could drive a man to murder children? Is that monster deep within all of us?

Suzanne · Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:54 pm

The information about Harvey gave the story a horrific feel to it and it explains how this tragedy happened. His intention may have been to kill his wife for the insurance money, but to play this out on a boat with other people on board shows what a maniac this man was, he didn’t care who had to die to achieve his desire. He may not have intended to kill them, but he must have known that this was a possibility.

Just bringing the wife along seemed odd to me, and it makes me wonder if the two of them had some type of plot planned. All kinds of senerios are running through my mind.

Had Tere not survived, Harvey would have gotten away with these murders, not only gotten away with it, but he may have been seen as some sort of a hero. He brought the body of Tere’s sibling in a life craft with him as he escaped, this also shows what a psychopath Harvey was. What was he thinking, “Look, I tried to save them?” Wow, what a different headline for the papers the next day had he succeeded.

docsafari · Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:53 am

I very much appreciate and respect the conversation about Harvey. He was a Golden Boy in the eyes of a great many over many years, starting with the doting aunt who raised (and spoiled?) him, women who idolized him (including most of his ex-wives who refused to speak ill of him even after the Bluebelle story came out), and military superiors who lionized him as the ideal of young American manhood. You are right to point out that all of us have a dark side and that Harvey represents that aspect of humanity, while Terry Jo represents our better nature (in many ways).

farmgirlshelley · Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:03 pm

is that monster deep within all of us? that is a very deep question.....
I could never hurt a child even if my very life depended on it....
I could see myself killing someone that was trying to hurt my family under some extreme circumstance.
I would feel terrible if I did no matter how "bad" the person was.
Do all of us have a dark side? I don't know. Maybe we all do but some of us bury it deep and never allow it to come up. I think the manner in which Harvey died did show guilt. But if he was truly sorry then he would have told the truth so that all the victims could be laid to rest together and the family could have peace and not have to wonder the rest of their lives what happened. I think that would be the worst thing of all... not knowing for sure what happened.

Suzanne · Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:32 pm


	farmgirlshelley wrote: I think the manner in which Harvey died did show guilt.

Very possibly. It is also possible he was afraid that his "golden boy" image would be tarnished, but you are right, we will never truly know.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think what Harvey did went over and above just having a dark side, it would have to be a three quartered side. I felt such a sense of entitlement with Harvey, he did lead the charmed life, and maybe he felt entitled to manipulate, and even kill for what he wanted. Ted Bundy was quite the charmer too!

farmgirlshelley · Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:43 pm

note to self: stay away from charming people

docsafari · Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:35 pm

Entitlement is an excellent label to apply to Harvey, as it fits with one who likely was a supreme narcissist. And the book does note the parallel with Ted Bundy. Rather than guilt as part of Harvey's motive for suicide, I see more self-loathing and shame. The only thing he had really had going for him for some time was his beautiful exterior, and that failed him in the end; therefore he vented his rage on it.

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