Andy's choices aren't so hot in Tears of a Tiger. First they lead to Robbie's death, then he stays on a path of destruction instead of getting help, and ultimately, Andy makes the choice to end his own life. So if we're thinking about what choices define our main man, we come up with a list of not-so-great ones. We're not trying to rag on Andy—he does that plenty himself—but we think it's important to point out that his choices leave him in a desperate state with few options. After all, other people suffer in the book, too, but none of them commit quite the way Andy does.
Questions About Choices
- Does Andy's decision to drink ruin his life? Is his life over after the accident, or could he make difference choices to change his fate?
- How does Andy decide what to do in life? Why do you think he eventually decides to end his life?
- What do you think each character would change if they could have one do-over? Which choices impacted their lives the most?
Chew on This
Andy's choices in life are erased after the accident—depression officially takes over the show.
While the accident is a tragedy, Andy consistently chooses not to try to get himself back on track.