Impact of Guilt

Guilty feelings remain long after an immoral act or a serious crime has been committed, even if the behavior is unknown by others. Jason, Robert, and Lauren are characters who must deal with the impact of guilt as they try to live with the acts they have committed. Jason, for instance, fears his best friend, Sam, will find out that he is cheating with Sam’s wife. Robert is unable to forget how he suffocated Susan to save himself. While Lauren did not intend to kill Susan, it was her actions that caused Susan to be pushed off the boardwalk, leading to her death.

When Jason is back in Salcombe with his best friend, he begins living in fear that Sam will discover that Jason is sleeping with Sam’s wife, Jen. Sam begins behaving more and more erratically as the summer progresses. Jason...