he guilt of what they have driven their mother to. After a while Orin determines that his only connection to his sister is the guilt that they share. He declares, “You don’t seem to feel all you mean to me now-all you have made yourself to mean-since we murdered Mother! I love you with all the guilt in me-the guilt we share! Perhaps I love you too much, Vinnie!…For the love of God, let’s go now and confess and pay the penalty for Mother’s murder and find peace together! (365). Orin determines that he cannot love Hazel because his guilt will taint her innocence and purity. Orin believes that he is not worthy of love and is only deserving of spending the rest of his life suffering with his own guilt. He tells Hazel, “You mustn’t love me anymore. The only love I can know now is the love of guilt for guilt which breeds more guilt until you get so deep at the bottom of hell there is no lower you can sink and you rest there in peace” (361). Orin’s guilt haunts him and controls his life. He finally concludes that the only way he can avenge his mother’s death is by committing suicide. He is encouraged by the prospect of seeing his mother again and being able to apologize personally to her and wish her happiness. After Lavinia loses her control and tells Orin he’d kill himself if he wasn’t such a coward, Orin retorts “Another act of justice, eh? An eye for an eye, is that is? Yes! That would be justice- now you are Mother! She is speaking now through you! Yes! It’s the way to peace- to find her again- my lost island- Death is an island of peace, too-Mother will be waiting for me there…I’ll get down on my knees and ask for forgiveness- and say- I’m glad you found love, Mother! I wish you happiness- you and Adam!” (365). It is clear that Orin feels responsible for his mother’s death and does not feel it is justifie...
