Mystic River

The epilogue demonstrates how little justice is accomplished for Dave and emphasizes the importance of community. First, Jimmy is shown to have been rejuvenated by his neighborhood: “These were his people […] They’d save a place for him” (392). Jimmy derives a sense of belonging and pride from the comradery shared between his community because communities like the Flats, those which are underserved and overlooked, look out for one another. This sense of belonging, though, is twisted by Jimmy to rationalize killing Dave; Jimmy implies that Dave’s molestation changed him too severely to rejoin the neighborhood. In doing so, Jimmy reveals his own need to justify his crimes while unintentionally exposing the potentially toxic side of tight-knit communities—someone will always suffer for their outsider status. Ironically, Jimmy admits to the consequences of his actions while guiltlessly evading the consequences of Dave’s murder: His killing of Just Ray had been karmically fulfilled by Silent Ray “killing Katie for no good reason” (396). Though, as the novel ends, there is no promise of punishment for Dave’s death. There is only the indication that Jimmy has destroyed another family through Michael’s “subdued” and unresponsive appearance. The novel’s final thoughts surrounding Dave and Sean’s hope for him finding peace refocus the novel on the effects of trauma and grief; Dave may have finally achieved the peace he sought throughout his life, but those left behind certainly have not.