8. What kind of understanding does “The Killers” impart to the reader?
The story “The Killers” imparts the understanding to the reader that crime does not pay. Criminals try to escape the consequences of their crimes, but later they have to face them. Nobody can help them. Secondly, it imparts the understanding that there is no hold of law and order in the modern American society.
When the reader goes through the story, he finds Ole Anderson lying on his bed and looking at the wall. Two professional killers are after him and want to kill him. It appears that Ole has done something wrong. The reader can guess that these killers have been chasing him for a long time.
The reader also comes to know that Ole has tried everything to get rid of these killers, but has failed. Ole plainly tells Nick, “There ain’t anything to do now.” He tells him that going to the police and getting out the town will do nothing. When the reader reads this, he understands that criminals cannot escape the consequences of their crimes.
The story imparts another understanding to the reader that the modern American society has some dark aspects. It appears to him that there is no hold of law and order. Innocent peoples are at the mercy of killers. The best they can do is to leave towns.
Therefore, this is the understanding the story, “The Killers” imparts to the reader. (