I just finished reading The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle. It’s a book I resisted for quite awhile, at least partly because Bookdwarf was so enthusiastic about it, and I just didn’t want to admit that she’s always right about these sorts of things.
Another factor that scared me off was that the book contains dogs. That immediately makes me think it’s one of those dog books – you know, of interest only to dog fanciers. It’s not. I’m pretty sure that people who like anything with dogs in it will like this book. After all, it contains dogs. But it’s not the sort of thing that appeals only to them. It will also appeal to novel-lovers. It’s a tale of family and secrets and betrayal, a northern Wisconsin sort of Hamlet mixed with Lear, a story of almosts, of near-breakthroughs in communication and understanding and perfection.
“The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle” uses the relationships – sometimes beautifully tender and joyful – between people and dogs to reflect more clearly the relationship between humans. Just as even imperfect communication between humans and dogs requires years of training and practice, the mute Edgar is stymied by his own imperfect understanding of the world and by other people’s inability to grasp what he’s saying. And of course, more generally, everyone fails to communicate or hides what should most be unearthed and shared.
No, there’s no happy ending there. Nice dogs, though.
Secretly Ironic 
While I have criticized many aspects of our author’s work over the past few months, his portrayal of Almondine was clear for me. I had a somewhat similar experience with my own dog and that, perhaps, was why it was one of the most unforgettable parts of this intense work.
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I thought this story was a waste of ink and paper.(and time, for that matter) Every time I felt the story was building to some sort of climax,I was slowly let back down to where it started. When it took a chapter to dress and bandage a dogs paw.I lost interest even faster.I managed to stick it out only because I was in to deep. The one positive note I could add,is that the author was realistic in describing actions,animal and human.
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I thought this story was a waste of ink and paper.(and time, for that matter) Every time I felt the story was building to some sort of climax,I was slowly let back down to where it started. When it took a chapter to dress and bandage a dogs paw.I lost interest even faster.I managed to stick it out only because I was in to deep. The one positive note I could add,is that the author was realistic in describing actions.Animal and human.
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I don’t understand the “poison”. Why did Claude purchase it in the first place? What were his plans for it? As far as we know, he used it only to kill his brother and his nephew. (Am I correct in this, or did I miss something?) Was he intending to kill Gar when he bought it?
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I just finished this book which was recommended to me by a friend. I have never gone to the web before to try to figure out what a book I was reading was about, but here I am now along with a LOT of other people since June 2008! So obviously there is something about this novel that inspries people as well as bothers them. From the very beginning I was attracted to the story, confused by it and annoyed by it. I agree with those who think that is was way too long. And it needed serious editing. Go back and look at the first sentence in the first chapter. My English teacher would never have let me get away with a sentence like that. But, it did make me think…and say something on this blog!
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Wow, what a ton of comments. The reason so many people, including me, are so upset is this : the difference between this book and the Shakespeare tragedies is that Shakespeare did not first make you invest so much emotion in the characters before killing them off. I can take a sad ending, but with this one I was not sad, I was very, very angry. What a dirty trick. I read it a month ago and am still mad. A satisfying ending does not have to be Disney-like, but why read such a downer with no sensible resoluton? It was all for naught. The actions didn’t always ring true. One has to wonder,by the way, what happened to all the other dogs, the ones that did not follow Essay at the end? So many other questions. Great writing in itself, but I am another one who will not recommend this to my book club, and I will not bother with any other books by this author.
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Shirley, You may change your mind. I did: after the book ‘jells’ or ‘marinates’ within you for a while, the beauty of his love for dogs overcomes what feels like the work’s shortcomings.
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Does anyone understand a story for the sake of a story? I am not understanding these posts where people need everything spelled out for them. I also don’t understand those expecting or looking for everything to be parallel to Hamlet. There was a nod; that’s all there was. Claude – as it states in the book – is very patient and can take a long time to get something done the way he wants. Whatever the childhood rift with Gar, he buys that poison with the intent of eventually, someday, killing his brother – Cain and Able type stuff. Trudy is a FLAWED character – she is strong with the dogs, but that’s it. She is depressed and desperate. Edgar is 14, has been traumatized, has watched his fatehr die in his arms and caused the death of someone very close to his family, and then feels betrayed by Almondine and his mother – they both turn to his father’s killer. The ending saddened and depressed me to death, but it doesn’t make the book any less stellar. When I knew Almondine died, I couldn’t see any way that the book would from then on have a happy ending. Claude killed Edgar, but Edgar didn’t suffer in death, which was the blessing. Ida Paine had told him – Don’t come back. It’s only wind. But he chose, after enduring the water spouts, to go home, which he was told not to do. So you could argue that Ida knew what his fate was if he returned, and he felt he needed to avenge his father, and so he returned.
Oh, and Forte was a REAL dog! For heaven’s sake, he was a half-wild dog who wanted to trust Edgar but was too afraid.
All of you that are mad, furious, feel tricked, what have you – is that not an indication that you’ve read a superior piece of literature? You’re thinking about it, you’re feeling about it, you’re dying to talk to someone about it? THAT is a good book. Not another cop-drama-chick-lit cookie-cutter fluff book (which I enjoy but because I don’t HAVE to think about anything). This book gets in your heart and your guy and tears both to pieces. And I’m not sorry it does.
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Trudy’s character is not just flawed. She’s badly written. She’s written to be less intelligent and insightful than her dogs, and utterly dependent on all the male characters in the book, including the male dogs. She also ends the story in a pseudo-sexual romp with a half blind idiot giant. It’s insulting. Other aspects of the book were enjoyable, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this book was very much written with a steep sexist slant.
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I actually thought Trudy was stronger than the last half of the book allowed: it was an odd contradiction to me, and a character development I found inconsistent and false.
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This book was the best I’ve read in a while now, very refreshingly written. I was surprised to find so many people disliked the ending. While the future seems terrible for Trudy, I thought Edgars ending was the happiest he could have recieved considering the circumstances. So I suppose I considered it bittersweet, which I admit I tend to be fond of. Having recently lost a very beloved dog, I was very touched by this books ending. Seeing Edgar meet his Almondine again, despite her passing, was heartwarming to say the least. For Melanie: I hadn’t considered this perspective on Trudy before. I think I would consider her behavior to be normal for someone in grief. I actually considered her to be a strong character, but the death of a loved one simply broke her. I dont think it was written this way to imply she was a weak woman, but to express the grieving process of human beings. I agree though, the scene with Glen at the end was odd, I’m not sure what I make of it.
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I just finished the book last night and I must say I was quite upset. I was so looking foward to this book, with all the hype, but I was left fully disappointed. I enjoyed the beginning of the book, but I was quite bored with the middle. It just seemed to take so long to get into any sort of story. It seemed like so much boring repetetion going over and over the dog breeding and training, it just didn’t seem necassary to go into that much detail about such mundane things. It was so also so hard to get into the story because of such little charchter development. But I continued on with the story because I was hoping for a good ending and questions answered. That was not the case. I am not upset with Edgar dying in the end, I feel that some books just need unhappy endings. I am however upset that no one was told about Claude’s part in Gar’s death. I’m upset with the way while Edgar dying and the dogs running away, Trudy was just lying there content in some dream-like state. I wish she would have been screaming, crying, broken apart while all this is happening. I want her to feel deep saddness knowing her part in this tragic ending. I also felt so disappointed that so many questions were left unanswered. Did Claude buy this poison all along with the intenet of killing Gar? I feel that there was never a great explanation of killing Gar, I understang past scars, but this just seems so extreme and had there been more charachter development this might have made more sense. Also, was Forte (the stray) the father of Edgar’s litter? The title of that section was “Forte’s Children.” It talked about hearing a lot of barking in the barn during the parts talking about Forte. If so, I wish the author would have added just a little sentence, where Trudy or Gar said something as simple as “have you noticed something different about this litter.” Just something other than just a title. There were also so many things left touched upon in this book, that had they been further explained would have brought so much to the story and yet left the way they were they were just a waste, for example, the previous owner of the land, all this about him, but brings nothing to the story, the old farmer helps the story in no way, the letter of Edgar’s grandfather, while I though there would be some development there was nothing and I’m going to go as far to say that Edgar being mute really didn’t do much for the book, I so wish the author would have gone more into Edgar’s thoughts about being mute, more into how upset about if he could only speak he may have been able to save his father, just someting like that. I see now that I am just ranting on, so I will stop, I just can’t get over my disappointment I guess.
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I finished the book last night and came away stunned and incredibly sad. I thoroughly enjoyed the many heart-warming aspects of the story and felt it was masterfully told, but I simply did not expect the totality of the ending. I’ve always said that Stephen King is willing to kill off characters no one would would, but Wroblewski matched him here. I am indeed a “dog lover” and so deeply appreciated the human-canine relationships in all their forms in the story. I confess I wanted a more clear sense that justice had been done in the end, but it was not to be; as is often the case in life. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others as long as they are not looking for a “happy” or light story.
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A good book, as it makes the reader think
and re-read. Didn’t like the ending,
although it was believable……except
for the part where Trudy is being held
down for so long. I would’ve liked
a happier ending. My favorite characters
were Edgar, Ida (would’ve liked her fleshed out more) and of course Almondine. I kept picturing her as a recently departed Golden Lab dog-relative. Lots of tears when Almondine
died. Glad I read it, but unsatisfactory
ending.
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The first 1/3 was brilliant. Then I became too aware of the author’s writing which was a distraction to my enjoyment of the story he was weaving. An over abundance of intricate, detailed descriptions bogged down the progress of the tale. I cared about Edgar, Trudy, Gar and even Claude, but I found myself skipping big chunks of descdriptive narrative just to get on with the story. The ending left me totaly disgusted and I felt I’d wasted my time. However, as a dog owner, I appreciated the dog/human relationships. I really don’t get the hype about this book, except that Oprah liked it. Big deal.
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As a dog lover, I was really excited to read this book. Initially, I enjoyed it and felt as though this may become a favorite. However, it quickly turned into a drag to read. The pages were filled with too many unimportant details which never held any importance to the story. I forced myself to read the book, hoping to enjoy an ending that would connect all the pieces of the story together. Unfortunately, the ending made the book worse! I never truly felt connected to the characters or the development of the plot. (Although I did like the relationship between Edgar and Almondine, & the Sawtelle dogs.) I felt fragments of each character were left all over the place. It was a very disappointing read and I would not recommend it.
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Wow…
This is what I felt about the book. I owned a dog when I was child with my sisters, but don’t own one now. However, I teach students with disabilities. I could not help but to make connections between Edgar and some of my students. They often don’t have a voice…even though most can talk! However, most have a unique way of communicating and when a teacher or close family member or friend can tap into it, it is often magical. The tragedy is that most students have had that special voice squashed by the time they get to high school(where I am). Edgar’s family accepted it and it thrived, perhaps given Edgar a sixth sense, sort of. Not to bring religion into it, but this is the kind of thing that makes me believe in god. It also makes me appreciate thee uniqueness of each individual. This story will linger with me forever. This is what art is supposed to do…change you or allow you to see humanity anywhere!
I do wish, however, that the truth was revealed to someone! I think that the dogs knew the truth. They knew it because Edgar was able to “tell” them. Maybe he was getting them ready for there exodus…that the era of the Sawtelle dogs was over and that Henry became the new sustainer. Maybe Edgar’s sent was left all over Henry’s property and that’s where the dogs were headed. It probably was not meant for Trudy to know the truth. Maybe she was just a player, just like Glen. I got the impression that this destiny was set by the Sawtelle brothers when they were younger. I also felt like maybe the unknown story was that Trudy and Claude were somehow connected long ago.
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I have just finished this book and was mystified by the ending. I couldn’t believe I had read the last page. And I had to re read the last 4 chapters to convince my self that this was really it – the end of the book. I had to take in Edgars death and his final moment with Almondine again to be able to let go of him. Without hoping that there would be some miracle – forte or essay would save him from the burning barn in a very tv series kind of way. But after reading all the comments on this site I feel so relieved of my confusion with the end. Its ok for Edgar to die. Because life is much the same way. Without reason or literary sense. Its really my attachment to Egar that makes the ending so difficult.
I don’t think it matters where Essay or Forte and the rest of the Sawtelle dogs go. The point is that they choose to go. And as readers we have to let the go because that is the next generation of Sawtelle dog.
I loved this book and it will stay with me for a long time.
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I guess you could say we’ve all gone to the dogs.
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Like many other readers, I wondered what happened to Essay and the other dogs. I’m thinking that news of the fire and the deaths and the disappearance of the dogs would certainly be in the news. Henry would no doubt hear of it, put two and two together, and drive down to see Trudy. Perhaps the dogs would be found and maybe Trudy and Henry would start the kennel and training up again.
Loved the book.
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Mary Ann: now that you mention it, I found Henry to be a very realistic/authentic person in the novel. I too thought he would make the connection and eventually meet up with Trudy.
Hey Mr. Wroblewski: how about it? A little feedback for your suffering readers?
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i feel like anyone read the prologue and paid attention to it would have known the ending from the very beginning! it is a book based on life and death, ashes to ashes, and a tragedy like any other shakespearean work. everyone in claude’s life was a rat; something to get rid of immediatly when they became a nuisance. even down to the lyrics in the doris day song in the prologue… everything is spelled out there!
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Well Mel, Let’s be sure to pay more attention to the dark comments that preface the book and let’s try to keep them dominant while we enter a world of love and beauty for two thirds of a book. I would rather encourage Mr. W. to a consistency that moves in the direction of love and real relationships that make sense rather than the Stephen Kings scenarioes that have a deus ex machina beginning and end with a center that does not at all relate to the black, bleak outline.
Sorry, rat poison and Doris Day lyrics do not the novel make.
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I initially found the book difficult to read and concentrate on. As I kept reading I started to enjoy the story and understand what the author was trying to convey; especially when Edgar and his three dogs start their adventure through the countryside and meet Henry. However, when did Almondine actually died? She was one of the main characters in the book. I must have reread the Chapter on Almondinr (starting on page 460)three time and never realized she died. I didn’t realize she died until Edgar was sitting by her grave. The author spent a lot of time building up the eventual death of Edgar and Claude, but left Almondine’s death just occuring with no explanation. Did I miss something?
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Stu, you have my sympathy: there is at times an overaffection for subtlety in writers. Innuendo is overrated. Shakespeare, who apparently is a paradigm for this author, would have had at least one lengthy soliloquy for the beloved dog.
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Marg, thank you for your reply. I agree Shakespeare would have provided the transition for Almondine. It left me wondering how Trudy felt emotionally when Almondine passed away, with Edgar gone from her life, and why this event was not addressed by the author.
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Stu, and all, it seems that our author ran out of energy. What is so troubling, I think, is the novel’s inconsistency: we get to know these people, and to love them, through the details of their individuality. Suddenly, all of it disappears in a kind of fog of vague, dark symbols. An effort that did not quite make it to the top of the mountain.
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I’m a dog person & can relate to the hard work involved with training. I’m also Deafened with a Working Dog so it was a pleasing surprise that Edgar Signed, which I do. I expected the dogs to run into the barn & pull Edgar out too & the other dogs who ran off I thought they would become wild like Forte or be making their way to Henry’s. Dogs only live so long. A person can never expect to have just one dog in his lifetime! I enjoyed this book a lot but like apparently everyone else the ending leaves a lot of unanswered questions. One that concerns me is why did Claude kill his brother?
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I am not one to reread books, there are just too many others I can’t wait to read. This book, however, has touched something in me that I can’t remember feeling about another book. The only way to describe it is that I feel almost haunted by it. I finished it the first time in just a couple of days because I was anxious to see how the human issues were resolved. Like so many others, the ending left me feeling sad and confused. I felt compelled to reread it paying specific attention to the Sawtelle dogs, looking for something definitive to tell me what their choice was. I also went online and read everything I could find -something I’ve never done with another book. After viewing Oprah’s webcast, though, I learned that the author never intended to answer that question. The point was just that they had a choice, thus fulfilling the grandfather’s dream. He also said that he intentionally left many things unexplained because he never wanted the reader to know more than Edgar. I thought that was very interesting and helped explain why the reader was left with so many unanswered questions. Even after having resolved some of these issues in my own mind, I could not quit thinking about Edgar and Almondine. I almost felt like I was mourning them. So I went back and reread, savoring all of the parts that involved Almondine. I have to admit she brings me to tears every time! Finally, knowing that the “prequel” is going to be about the grandfather, I am now going back and really looking at his story. I never thought after college that I’d want to “study” a novel, but I think that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. This book to me is so complex and there is so much detail that each rereading has only made me love it more because each time I “discover” something new that fits in another little piece of the puzzle. It’s almost like “Lost” – there are so many underlying layers of mysticism and symbolism that you don’t necessarily see it or understand it during the initial reading. I would definitely recommend this book, but with the understanding that it is a tragedy. It is not an easy read, but it also will not be easily forgotten.
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Wow, after reading these comments it is plain to see that it’s not so much about the book, but about the reader. Obviouly some are deep, sensitive people who love the incredible writing and symbolism, some are more shallow, maybe not seeing the beauty of writing, wanting the book to be black and white, the characters to be more predictable. I think this is a beautiful literay accomplishment and I loved it. I can’s wait to read the prequl. I will forever miss Almondine. I had a female golden retriever whom I pictured as Almondine. The depth of feeling in her eyes was so amazing. I was pretty disappointed in the ending of the book but, like others who left their comments I made up a couple of alternate endings. I will remember the characters (and dogs) in this book for the rest of my life. I can only say that about a few books I’ve read and I’ve read thousands of books. Please keep writing Mr. Wroblewski.
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Leslie,
Yeh, “wow”–for some reason I have to keep coming back, many months after reading this puzzling novel. Wroblewski has attracted a great crowd. It is just very special to continue seeing others’ experience of the story, to share, and to know so many have a special relationship with their dogs, their animals, and their inner selves.
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I agree with a lot of the comments…where I kept telling everyone “You have to read this book” up until I finished it, then I want to chuck it across the room! I am ok with the death, I just kept having question after question that I was looking forward to the end where I expected it to all make sense…It never made sense!!! So many unanswered questions and things left hanging….I will no longer recommend this book to anyone. Such a fabulous build up to have such a let-down.
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I have very mixed feelings about this book.
I loved the first half, but when Edgar ran away things went downhill for me.
The author spent so much time on the runaway part. I believe this book would have been better at half the length.
And, Leslie, I don’t believe that some readers are “shallow” if they do not relate to the complexity of the novel. It is simply a matter of taste.
I felt the author overwrote the book, including the symbolism and complex references.
I was also very disappointed with the ending. It kind of left everything hanging, for me. I really didn’t see the point of all the intrigue around what Claude was up to, only to have it unclear in the end. Did Claude survive the fire? Did Edgar? Well, I at least hope Essay and her band made the choice to go back to the farm, to Trudy.
On a positive note…yes, the story was well-crafted. The author is a gifted writer in that sense.
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I picked up this book after listening to Oprah rave on and on about how great it was.. I love dogs and thought this would make for a good boy w/his dog adventure story. I am sorry to say that for me this book was a huge disappointment. I am a casual reader, but I have read much better novels than this that weren’t hyped nearly as much. Let’s summarize: Mute boy loves his dog, boy’s Dad dies (killed by his uncle), boy’s mother then develops relationship with evil uncle which enrages the boy, boy accidentally kills the town Doctor, boy runs away for a couple of months with dogs, boy finally comes back home only to find that his favorite dog is dead, then boy is killed by his evil uncle, both the boy and the evil uncle die in a barn fire) What do you really take away from this book other than feeling depressed ?
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This book was a huge disappointment for me. I thought this would be a good boy w/his dog story and Oprah raved so much about how great it was. I felt the author overwrote and gave us way more detail than we needed, this book did not need to be 540 pages. I never grew attached to any of the characters and only kept reading in the hopes of a great ending. Sorry, but I felt the ending was horrible. Everyone loses in the end and I don’t know for what.. I guess the author succeeded in creating a lot of discussion about the book and the ending. Unfortunately, I think it’s because the majority of people who read this book felt like they wasted their time.
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I was tryly disappointed in this book why did such a loving and hard working family with so much hope come to a tragic end? A mother left along without the two people she cared so dearly for. And a pack of dogs end up wondering aimlessly in the woods. who knows where they are heading. But I must say I’m glad Edgar and Almodine got to reunite- but it should have been in a different way.What was the point of the story. Okay I get it to make us dog owner love on our dogs more- because I sure have.
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I agree, i was disappointed with the ending and then couldn’t see the point to the story which, for most part, I did enjoy. it seemed like the ending was a waste of a very good set up. i think for me this book was so raved about that my expectations were higher than what was delivered.
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A great book until the end, which was rather pointless and depressing. I was anticipating many loose ends being tied together at the conclusion, but it never happened. It could have been a classic, but missed the mark badly.
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I got this book out of the library and had one week to read it. At first it was a struggle. It gets much better after Edgar leaves, I cried when he decides to leave the dogs with Henry. I cried at the end and also was frustrated because the ending was too dramatic does everyone have to die? I wanted to see Claude die though.
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Hamlet in a kennel.
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Well, after finishing this book last night and throwing it down and saying “I hate the ending”, it was refreshing to read everyone else’s comments….LOVED the book and I think that all the dogs made a choice to live on their own, but probably will check in with the guy that Edgar met and that his other two dogs stayed with….he never even got to tell his mother that Claude had killed her hsband and I could have handled him dying if he at least had an opportunity to redeem his actions in his mother’s eyes.
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Symbolism anybody? I am thinking of Jungian archetypes. Does Forte respresent our shadow side? Conscious vs. unconscious? Or am I just wanting to give the book more depth than deserved?
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This book is the worst book ever
what a horrible ending everyone dies! 
U suck David whatever-ur-last-name-is…
PS:
Never read this book
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As I got into this book, I absolutely loved it and raved about it to anyone who would listen… and couldn’t wait for the author’s next novel. However, I must say that the ending ruined the book for me. Edgar died!??!?!?!?!?! I always read before I go to sleep at night, and actually cried when finishing the book last night. So much for falling asleep… and so much for recommending this book to others.
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Wow. Amazing book – some unbelievably dumb comments. Once you realize it’s Hamlet how can you ask why Edgar had to die, or why the ending had to be so sad?? DUH.
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Before I read this incredible book, i hadn’t heard the comparisons to Hamlet, so the ending really took me by surprise too when i enthusiastically finished the book last night.
I can’t help but point out a few things i’ve been pondering throughout the day:
– The Sawtelle dogs contained some bloodline related to Hachiko, which might explain why they can see ghosts, and really puts into perspective what Edgar’s grandfather was endeavouring to achieve
– Like Essay and the tornado, Edgar chose a course of action (returning home and trying to bring Claude to justice) when he knew fully well the risks of what he was doing (thanks to Ida, who told him not to return “for anything”)
– The ending of the story made me consider the simiarlities between the Sawtelle family and their dogs…particularly their quest to achieve some ultimate end state (the “next” Sawtelle dogs). In their own human bloodline, there were some obvious undesirable traits (mentally/socially – Claude; physically – Edgar), and there could be an argument that this bloodline is “tainted” in the way that so many dogs’ bloodlines are judged, and thus not considered desirable for breeding. Edgar’s litter that he raised became his legacy, and to this extent they are effectively his offspring as he taught and nurtured them and they learned from each other. I think it is incredibly profound that he basically saw himself as one of them – his closest relationships were with his dogs – and chose to set them free rather than himself in the end. Physically, obviously he wasn’t free, but emotionally he was (he reunited with Almondine, he apologised to Glen, and he told his dad he loves him).
I apologise if all of these seem like random or incoherent thoughts, but it’s just what is going through my mind at the moment. As a casual reader, i’ve never experienced anything like the feeling that this masterpiece has left me with.
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Finished the book this morning. Had to really think about the ending and come to grips with it. I could not let it just end that way without coming up with a conclusion of my own. I want to believe that Essay took the dogs to Henry’s, and in keeping as many as he wants and finding owners for the others, he and his life are no longer “ordinary.”
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I still think our author should say something to us on this blog: Mr. Wroblewski, did you start writing this with the intention of using a Hamlet template?
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Life isn’t all happy conclusions; in fact, it is inevitable that the end is sad. Of course Mr, Wroblewski started with the Hamlet theme. While I don’t necessarily think that an author needs to follow a borrowed plot to the letter, it’s probably not wise to mess with Shakespeare. I’d recommend this book to any young person that is capable of reading it. Allow them to be outraged (especially if they are unfamiliar with Hamlet), and you can have some great discussions. If the metaphysical angers you, I feel that you lead a boring life. All novels are fantasy; I can accept almost any device of an author to further the characters/plots. Great read. If I feel a need for a happy ending, I can always go re-read “Lassie Come Home”.
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I finished the book last night and had the same reaction that I read here. One thought that I haven’t read is this. Did the author spend years developing the story with all the mysteries and questions and then not know how to bring it together? I think the reason our questions were not answered is because he didn’t have the answers. Just kill everyody off and the story is over.
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