Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

The novel’s narrator and protagonist, Leonard Peacock, takes a picture of his Nazi gun beside his breakfast. He considers the hilarity of this photograph becoming high art once he kills Asher Beal and himself. In a footnote, Leonard remarks on suicides statistics he found online. The photograph, which he imagines will be called Breakfast of a Teenage Killer, will show others that Leonard is set apart. 

Leonard finds pink wrapping paper and wraps four presents for his friends. He also places his gun inside a cigar box and wraps it, wary of a bag check at school. The gifts for Leonard’s friends symbolize “that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault” (5). He also wants to commemorate his own birthday today. 

Herr Silverman, Leonard’s Holocaust teacher, never exposes his arms. Leonard wonders if Herr Silverman’s sleeves conceal evidence of a suicide attempt. He imagines other traumas Herr Silverman might have endured and how the truth might enlighten him. He also imagines Herr Silverman shaming Leonard for asking about his sleeves. Leonard wonders about the Nazi who once possessed his gun.