Forgiveness allows us to live our lives to the fullest. In the novel, the reader can see the importance of Eddie forgiving his father for pain his terrible childhood inflicted. Throughout his life Eddie was constantly carrying the burden of his father’s mistakes and had bitterness in his heart where love should have been. Eddie could have hurt his father or been disrespectful, instead he was able to forgive him once in heaven. Eddie’s childhood was full of neglect, violence and silence, all caused by his father. While Eddie’s leg should have been the most pain in his life, it was his father. Ruby teaches Eddie to let go of anger and pain, however, I believe she was telling Eddie to “forgive and forget.” Eddie’s father shaped him into the
