What This Theme Explores
At its core, Keep It in the Family grapples with the age-old question of Nature vs. Nurture, dissecting whether extreme violence stems from inherent genetic traits or is a learned behavior shaped by environment and upbringing. The novel relentlessly examines the Hunter family's dark legacy, probing whether monstrosity is inherited or cultivated. Through the characters' horrific actions and twisted motivations, John Marrs suggests that the most terrifying evil is not a random occurrence but a carefully constructed product of cyclical abuse. This exploration is interwoven with themes of Family Secrets and Lies and The Past Haunting the Present, painting a complex psychological portrait of how dysfunction is perpetuated across generations.
How It Develops
The theme of Nature vs. Nurture unfolds gradually, initially presenting a mystery surrounding an unknown killer's inherent "nature." As the narrative progresses, it peels back the layers of generations to reveal a horrifying cycle of "nurture," where violence and depravity are systematically taught and reinforced.
Initially, the discovery of bodies in the attic introduces the idea of a monstrous, almost inhuman killer. The early focus is on the effects of a dysfunctional past, with tension between Mia, Finn, and Debbie hinting at deeply ingrained family issues. The question is simply: what kind of person (nature) could commit such atrocities?
However, the narrative shifts dramatically as flashbacks reveal Debbie's horrific childhood, where abduction and murder were normalized by her parents. This provides a powerful argument for the dominance of nurture, illustrating how she was raised in an environment of extreme violence. We also learn that she "trained" a young Finn, directly nurturing his darker impulses. Even Dave's suicide and false confession appear to be shaped by his own neglectful upbringing (nurture), as he tries to protect his family at all costs.
The climax and Epilogue provide the novel's chilling answer. Debbie is revealed as the killer, a product of her parents' depraved nurture. The ultimate twist comes with Finn. As he is not biologically related to Debbie, his capacity for murder is shown to be almost entirely a product of her twisted upbringing. His final actions—killing George Lewis, Aaliyah, and Lorna, and beginning to manipulate Sonny—demonstrate that the cycle of nurture is continuing, creating a new generation of evil.
Key Examples
Several key moments and character histories illustrate the powerful influence of nurture over nature.
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Debbie's Childhood: The flashbacks to Debbie's youth are the most potent evidence for the power of nurture. Her parents not only killed but actively involved their children, homeschooling them to control their worldview and using them as bait. Her father's twisted artistic advice becomes a chilling parallel to her killing ritual.
‘Whatever it is you’re sketching, be it a tree or a person or something abstract, always remember to frame what you want the viewer to see,’ he would remind us. ‘You must control their focus . . . burn it into their memories so they can close their eyes and return to it whenever they want to.’ This quote highlights how Debbie's father instilled in her a sense of control and manipulation, framing violence as an art form. This twisted perspective shaped her worldview and ultimately fueled her murderous tendencies.
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Debbie's "Training" of Finn: The revelation that Debbie took a young Finn on her killing trips is a direct act of corrupting nurture. She taught him her methods, from selecting victims to luring them away, shaping him into a killer under the guise of a mother-son "bond." Finn's confrontation with her in the hospital makes this explicit.
‘You’d take me out of school to join you on your trips,’ he continues. ‘You taught me which children to choose, how to approach them, what to say, how to lure them back to the car . . . I was eight years old when I helped you to abduct that girl in Leicester. Eight years old. What kind of mum encourages their child to do that, Debbie?’ This passage reveals the extent of Debbie's manipulation and the devastating impact it had on Finn's development. By involving him in her crimes at such a young age, she effectively erased his sense of morality and instilled in him a twisted understanding of right and wrong.
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Finn's Final Actions: The epilogue confirms that Debbie's nurture was terrifyingly successful. Despite not sharing her "killer genes," Finn adopts her methods and mindset. His cold, calculated murders of George, Aaliyah, and Lorna, and his chilling manipulation of Sonny with the skulls, show that the learned behavior has become his second nature.
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Dave's Misguided Protection: Dave's entire life is a reaction to his neglectful upbringing. His desire to protect his family, born from a lack of protection in his own childhood, leads him to enable Debbie's crimes and ultimately sacrifice himself. His actions are a direct result of his environment, not an innate evil.
Character Connections
The characters serve as case studies in the Nature vs. Nurture debate, each representing a different outcome of the toxic Hunter family environment.
As the central killer, Debbie Hunter is the primary product of a horrific upbringing. While she refers to herself as a "third-generation killer," suggesting a belief in nature, the narrative makes it clear that her parents' actions (nurture) were the primary catalyst. She then becomes the perpetrator of the cycle, nurturing Finn into a killer.
Finn Hunter is the novel's ultimate argument for nurture. Stolen as a baby, he has no biological link to the Lewis family's violence. His descent into murder is entirely the result of Debbie's decades-long manipulation and training. He demonstrates how nurture can be so powerful that it creates a nature of its own.
Dave Hunter represents a different outcome of a damaging nurture. His childhood neglect fosters a desperate need for family and stability, which leads him to become a passive enabler of evil rather than an active participant. His actions are driven by a nurtured desire to protect, however misguided.
Sonny Hunter represents the next generation and the terrifying continuation of the cycle. After a period of positive nurture with his great-uncle George, he is returned to Finn, who immediately begins a new, dark form of "education" with the skulls. Sonny's future is left ominously open, a blank slate for Finn's twisted nurturing.
Symbolism
Marrs uses specific objects and settings to symbolize the inescapable influence of one's environment.
The House at 45 High Street: The house is more than a setting; it is a physical manifestation of the theme. It literally holds the secrets of the past within its walls, most notably in the hidden attic room. It represents the toxic environment (nurture) that traps its inhabitants and perpetuates the cycle of violence. Its eventual demolition symbolizes a desire to break the cycle, though the epilogue suggests the evil has already escaped its confines.
The Suitcases: The identical Portmanteau suitcases are a chilling symbol of the family's murderous legacy. They are the tools of the trade, passed down from Debbie's parents. They represent the "baggage" of the past and the methodical, almost business-like approach to killing that has been nurtured through the generations.
The Skirting Board Message: The childish carving, "I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC," is a powerful symbol of a brief rebellion against a horrific nurture. It is the voice of a young Debbie, momentarily fighting against the environment that is shaping her. It represents a flicker of innate morality before it is extinguished by her upbringing.
Author's Message
Through the theme of Nature vs. Nurture, John Marrs delivers a deeply unsettling message about the origins of evil. The novel argues compellingly that nurture is the dominant force. Evil is not born, but meticulously crafted through generations of trauma, abuse, and manipulation. Finn's character arc is the ultimate proof: without any genetic predisposition, he becomes a killer solely through the environment Debbie creates for him.
Marrs suggests that the cycle of violence is terrifyingly self-perpetuating. The abused become the abusers, and the lessons learned in a toxic childhood become the curriculum for the next generation. The novel serves as a dark cautionary tale, warning that nurture can be so powerful and insidious that it effectively becomes a second nature, creating monsters who believe they were born that way. The ambiguous ending for Sonny implies that without intervention, this horrifying legacy will continue indefinitely.
Contemporary Relevance
The theme of Nature vs. Nurture in Keep It in the Family resonates strongly with contemporary discussions in psychology, sociology, and criminology.
The novel is a graphic illustration of how trauma and abusive behaviors are passed down through families, reflecting modern understanding of how unresolved trauma can impact family dynamics for generations. Debbie's actions are a direct result of her parents' abuse, and she, in turn, inflicts a different kind of psychological damage on Finn, exemplifying intergenerational trauma.
The book taps into the ongoing debate about what creates a serial killer. While some theories focus on genetic predispositions or brain abnormalities (nature), Marrs' narrative heavily favors environmental factors (nurture), aligning with studies that emphasize the role of childhood abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence in the development of psychopathy.
The story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting children from harmful environments. The victims in the book are often "forgotten children" from neglectful homes, making them easy targets. It underscores the idea that societal failure to intervene in abusive family situations can have monstrous and far-reaching consequences, allowing cycles of violence to continue unchecked, highlighting societal responsibility.
Essential Quote
‘I am what I am, Finn. A third-generation killer. It’s in my blood.’
This quote, spoken by Debbie, encapsulates the complex interplay between nature and nurture. While she attributes her murderous tendencies to her bloodline, the novel ultimately reveals that her upbringing and the environment she created for Finn were the primary drivers of their actions. This highlights the insidious power of nurture to shape individuals, even to the point where they believe their evil is predetermined.