Eddie is the protagonist in this story. Readers get to know him through flashbacks from the time of his birth until his death at eighty-three. Even as a child, he is strong of mind and body. He looks after his older brother, Joe. Life is difficult for Eddie. His father is an abusive drunk. Eddie experiences neglect from the one person in the world he most wants approval from. Even worse than that, he is constantly beaten, not because of anything he has done, but to satisfy the father's rage. He intends to become an engineer because he likes to work on things; however, he enlists and becomes a soldier in World War II instead. He is injured in the war and is crippled for the rest of his life. When Eddie comes home,.....
