In the previous post, I shared the text with Allen’s first interrogation. During that text, there are a number of TL’s (text link’s), where we are able to dive a little further into the narrative. These text links allow the player to understand the characters.
TL_Lafferty Family (the Parents)
The Lafferty Family is a highly regarded group in the community. They have been around for decades, and run a very successful chiropractic business in the walls of their home. That is, until Ammon and Doreen, the parents, left on a mission while in their sixties. They had been empty nesters for a while, and had handed the business over to their second oldest son Dan and his wife Matilda. Doreen insisted that it be left to their oldest Ron. However, Ammon being the authoritative patriarchal figure that he is, insisted it be Dan. Once again, the male figure had the final say, as most decisions end in a mormon family. Unfortunately, as Doreen had expected, this decision undoubtedly caused some tension in the Lafferty household.
*Return (A6)
TL_Ron Lafferty
Ron is the eldest brother and child of his family. He is all round a responsible individual, but isn’t appreciated or recognized by his father. This has set seeds of insecurity within his character. Although he is a moderately successful tradesman, he always feels like there is something missing. Ron Lafferty has been married to Dianna for many years, and raised four children together. They are all currently between the ages of 2 and 12. During the course of building their family, Dianna was a full time stay at home mom, and Ron worked hard at his business. He would often grind out 10 – 12 hour days, leaving Dianna to tend solely to all of the household responsibilities. Raising four children single handedly led her to gain a sense of independence, despite depending on her husband financially. The aftermath of those experiences though, resulted in a couple that felt like polite stranges. Although sharing their lives, they never found the time to enjoy life together. Months leading up to the crime, Dianna would even say that she had a better relationship with her sister in law Brenda (ie; the victim, Allen’s wife). Overall, despite Ron’s flaws, he is all round a good guy.
*Return (A6)
TL_Dan Lafferty
Dan is the second oldest brother of the family, is favored by his father, and very much treated like the eldest child. When the parents leave on their mission, he is given responsibility over the family house, chiropractor business, and their overall legacy. Essentially, he is the person who is entrusted with the Lafferty family reputation, and is the new patriarchal figure. However, that responsibility and legacy weighs heavily on his shoulders. Not having learnt much about the business prior to their departure, Dan is not able to keep up with everything. He doesn’t have the required knowledge or skills to deal with all of the bills, taxes, and legal requirements associated with running a business. Moreover, Dan has very little knowledge and training when it comes to chiropractic work, and is adamant to not outsource work to a practitioner. It’s no wonder that the expectations placed on him from his community begin to weigh him down. His once playful and lighthearted nature turned, becoming filled with stress / anxiety, and sprinkled with lunacy.
Throughout this process of taking on the Lafferty family reputation, Dan relied heavily on his wife Matilda. Originally from England, she moved to the US after becoming a member of the church. She had a desire to be around more members, and people of the culture. Later on, she met Dan, and he convinced her to marry him. They now have a family, one where the husband makes the majority of decisions. Dan had the final say on the house that they bought, and her staying at home to raise the children. While living in England, Matilda was moderately ambitious. However, in the context of Mormonism, her passions have dwindled. This has left her feeling insecure, self conscious, and out of place. Finally, Matilda often seeks validation from her family to fill those gaps.
*Return (A6)
Resources
Dustin Lance Black Director. Under the Banner of Heaven. Aggregate Film, Imagine Television, FXP, 2022.
Krakauwer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. New York, Penguin, June 2004.
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