Not a Typical Protector
In the Mother Tongue by Teri Holbrook, Alby Truitt was introduced as the sheriff of Statlers Cross. Truitt does not have the stereotypical traits of small town law enforcement. I have watched movies where the activities of small town law enforcement could be corrupt or biased due to the town being very rural which could possibly be overlooked by many bigger agencies. With this type of behavior of law enforcement portrayed in small towns, I believe that Truitt’s actions are the opposite and would be positive in any situation involving love, life, or death.
It seems that Alby Truitt’s childhood does not affect his responsibilities as sheriff because the people favored him. This novel gives geography of Statlers Cross which paints a picture of the upper, middle, and lower class citizens based on location. Holbrook explains that Truitt grew up outside of town, and he is explored as the son of a drug dealer who dabbled in drugs, and he returned from college and went into law enforcement (Holbrook 21). Children may choose to live their lives different than their parents, or they may choose to live their lives different from any behavior considered questionable. With Truitt being elected sheriff, it shows that this type of behavior is acceptable. In the novel, Teri Holbrook states, “Everyone knew this corner of the county bred a rough lot; the fact that one of its sons would decide to use his roughness in the name of the law was rational and a comfortable thing (Holbrook 21). Truitt is
concerned in the novel that his deputy is aware of his childhood concerning his father dealing drugs, but he did not let that stop his investigation. I would view Truitt as determined because he wanted to change the way others might react to him based on the actions of his father.
In this novel, Truitt has proved to be a professional sheriff of Statlers Cross. When the bodies were found in the car, the coroner explained to Truitt that the two guys in the...