Seven

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About the authorAnthony Bruno’s novel Seven is based on the screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker of the film Seven. Bruno, who comes from the United States, has written several other books in the crime genre, including The Iceman, a true story of an American serial killer. Bruno has a Master’s degree in Medieval Studies and has worked as an editor in a New York publishing house.

About the filmThe film Seven stars Morgan Freeman as Somerset and Brad Pitt as Mills. It was directed by David Fincher, formerly a pop video director whose previous notable venture into mainstream film direction was Alien3. This shares with Seven a very pessimistic view of the world and of people, realized on the screen with very dark, depressing interiors, constant rain and cloud, and a generally oppressive feel. Fincher has since directed The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), and Zodiac (2007).

SummarySeven is a thriller about an ingenious serial killer. The two main characters are detectives William Somerset and David Mills. The American city in the story is unnamed: it could be any major city such as New York, Los Angeles or Chicago.

The book opens with Somerset thinking about his forthcoming retirement from the police. However, his plan is postponed with the murder of a grossly overweight man, who has been force-fed by someone, and onto whose house walls, the word GLUTTONY has been painted. A second murder follows—that of a well-known lawyer notorious for defending known criminals.

The word GREED is painted on his floor. Somerset realizes that the murderer is linking his crimes to the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, lust, pride, envy and wrath, and he warns his colleagues to expect more murders. The story tells of the murders that follow and ends with a twist that is both shocking and very sad.

Chapter 1: Somerset is a homicide detective who is about to retire. He is keen to move to the country and change his life. David Mills, a younger detective, comes to the city to join him. They go to the scene of a homicide and find a fat man, Eubank, with his face in a plate of spaghetti. Somerset suspects there will be other murders.

Chapter 2: Eli Gould, a top criminal defense lawyer is murdered. The word “greed” is written in his blood. He has had to cut off parts of his own body and weigh them. At his apartment, Somerset finds the word “gluttony” and this links the murders. Later Somerset finds fingerprints on the wall, which spell out “help me.”

Chapters 3 and 4: The fingerprints lead to Victor Dworkin. They find him in his apartment, strapped to the bed, where he has been for a year according to photographs above him. He is just alive. The detectives find the suspected killer, John Doe, via library records but he shoots at them and escapes. Mills follows him and is shot. Later at Doe’s apartment, the detectives find a hand in a jar and photographs of the victims.

Chapters 5 and 6: Tracy, Mills’ wife, confides in Somerset that she is pregnant. Then another victim is found dead in a massage parlor. “Lust” is written on the wall. The man who was with the girl was forced at gun point to be involved in the killing. Later another victim is found. This is a beautiful girl whose nose has been cut off. She was given the choice to live without a nose or to commit suicide. She chose suicide. Doe puts himself into the hands of the police.

Chapter 7: Doe says he will lead Somerset and Mills to the other victims. These represent “envy” and “wrath.” They drive out to the desert on the highway. A delivery van arrives with a package for Mills. Somerset opens it and finds Tracy’s head. Somerset tries to stop Mills from killing Doe, but Mills shoots Doe in the head. These are the final sins, Doe’s envy of the detectives and Mills’s wrath. Mills will go to prison and Somerset decides not to retire but to continue the fight against crime.

Anthony Bruno

Seven

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Background and themes

Good and evil: The main themes explored in Seven are those of good and evil, and in particular, the different ways of viewing and dealing with what is wrong in society. In Seven, the concept of evil is not only embodied in the killer, but in society itself. At one point the two detectives discover notebooks written by the killer. Somerset realizes that he agrees with and even sympathizes with the killer’s view of the world: that it, and particularly the city, has become so full of greed, selfishness and “sin” in general that it is totally rotten and no real “good” is left. The killer chooses to draw attention to and fight the evil that exists in the world with his own evil, by killing what he hates. Somerset, on the other hand, after spending twenty-three years trying to clear up crimes, has given up the fight and chosen to try to escape from it. It is Mills, his naïve and idealistic young partner, who believes that the evil can be removed by fighting against it.

Darkness and light: A related theme to the theme of evil—more obvious in the film than in the book—is that of darkness and light. The images in both the book and the film begin with very dark places, often the inside of drab apartments and the dreary police precinct house, and with exteriors that are very dull—usually with rain and heavy cloud. Through the story, the characters are gradually seen in brighter surroundings, and the final scene is in the desert, in brilliant sunshine. This journey from dark to light represents the detectives’ gradual understanding of the murderer’s motives and of his final crime. It also represents Somerset’s gradual realization that he cannot retire from the police and leave others to fight crime.

Relationship between the detectives: The other main theme is the relationship between the two detectives. This relationship is a difficult one from the start. Their two styles as detectives are totally opposed to one another: Somerset takes an intellectual approach to crime-solving, believing that the best way of catching a criminal is to get into his mind, while Mills is very much a man of action, angry and impetuous, who believes in searching the streets to find the criminal. In addition, Somerset is very cynical and doesn’t believe that the police can change much or achieve much in the fight against crime. Mills disagrees with this and feels that the police can rid the streets of crime and help to build a better society. As the story unfolds, we see how both approaches can work alongside each other and the two detectives come to

respect each other’s style and way of working. However, the pessimism of the book comes through at the end, when Mills’ theories are put to the test and Somerset is unable to save Mills from himself.

Discussion activities

Chapter 1, pages 1–9Before reading1 Discuss: Make sure all the students understand the

word gluttony, then put students into small groups and ask them to predict what this chapter is about. Ask them to write down their ideas.

While reading2 Guess: Have students look at the picture on page 6.

Have them guess how this man died. Write the ideas on the board to refer at the end of the chapter.

After reading3 Discuss: Divide the class into two groups. Have one

group make notes about Somerset’s character and his style of working: the other half of the class does the same for Mills. Then as a class, discuss the two men, the differences in their characters and how this might affect their working relationship.

4 Write: Have students imagine they are Somerset. You write a letter to your mother, telling her that you are going to retire and the reasons for this. Tell her how much you hate the city and the crime you see all around you. Tell her where you are moving to and what you are hoping for in your new life.

5 Artwork: Divide the class into three groups. Have one group draw the country scene that Somerset sees while on the train, another group draw the outskirts of the city and the third group draw a scene from the city itself. Have the students use collage, paints or create computer-generated images. Use these pictures to create a display.

Chapter 2, pages 10–19Before reading6 Predict: In small groups have students discuss the title

of this chapter (Greed). What do you think happens in this chapter? What type of greed do you think this refers to? Is there another murder? If so, who is killed and how is this person killed?

While reading7 Discuss: In small groups have students discuss this

quotation from Somerset: “People used to kill someone for a purpose, even if it was a stupid purpose. Now they do it for the hell of it, just to see what will happen.” What do you think Somerset means by this? Do you think having a purpose makes it all right to kill someone? Can you imagine any situation where it would be acceptable to kill someone?

Seven

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8 Write: Have students think about crime in their country/city. Ask them to write a paragraph on crime there and a paragraph on what could be done to change things. Is there much crime? What sorts of crimes are committed? Have things got better or worse in your opinion? Is there anything that can be done to stop or prevent serious crime?

Chapter 3, pages 20–27After reading9 Pair work: Ask students to write the answers to the

following questions, and then compare their answers with their partner’s. Why does Somerset doubt that Dworkin is the killer at the beginning of this chapter? Why do you think the killer is committing these homicides? What do you think will happen next? Do you think Somerset and Mills will find the murderer?

10 Role play: Student A: You are Somerset. You want to see the library records. You are trying to see if anyone has borrowed books related to religion, the seven deadly sins, homicide etc. You are in a hurry and quite cross.

Student B: You are Mills. You also want the information but you are more polite and try and talk the librarian into giving you access to the computer records.

Student C: You are the librarian. You are not allowed to let anyone who does not work at the library have access to the records. You could get into trouble with your boss if you do. Students have the conversation.

11 Discuss: In small groups have students discuss the following questions. a) What evidence is there that the killer has planned the murder very carefully? b) Why has the killer cut off Dworkin’s right hand? c) What is the meaning of the name John Doe?

Chapter 4, pages 28–32Before reading12 Discuss: Ask the class who they think John Doe is.

Is he the murderer or is he another victim? Has Somerset simply made a mistake and John Doe has no connection to the case?

After reading13 Write: Have students make a list of the things they

find in John Doe’s apartment. What unusual things do the detectives find? Who do you think the hand belongs to? What unusual photographs do they find?

14 Discuss: Put students into small groups and ask them to discuss John Doe. What sort of person do you think John Doe is? What words could you use to describe him? Is he a normal person or is he mad? Do you think anything has happened to him in his life to make him into a murderer?

Chapter 5, pages 33–36After reading15 Write: Have students write the next chapter of the

book. What do you think will happen next? How many sins are left? Will the detectives stop John Doe? How will they stop him? Will the killer strike again?

16 Debate: In small groups ask students to discuss the following. What punishment should there be for a killer such as John Doe? Do you think he should be sent to prison or face the death penalty? Do you have the death penalty in your country? If so, for which crimes? Do you think the death penalty is a good thing? Does it prevent other people from committing murder? Divide the class into two and have them debate the motion “The death penalty is a good thing.” Each half should prepare arguments. After one student from each group presents the arguments, the class can debate the motion together. Ask the students to vote for or against the motion.

Chapter 6, pages 37–39After reading17 Discuss: In small groups ask students to discuss this

chapter (Pride). What happens in this chapter? Why do you think that Doe has given himself up to the police? Do you believe Doe? Has he committed other homicides? Do you think Doe is clever or stupid? Is he planning something else?

Chapter 7, pages 40–49While reading18 Discuss: Refer to page 41. Ask students to discuss

the following questions in pairs. Why do you think Doe will only talk to Somerset and Mills? Why can he only tell them at 6 p.m.? What is he planning?

19 Discuss: Refer to page 44. Ask students to predict what is in the box. Why is the box addressed to Detective David Mills? What do you think is inside? Write students’ predictions on the board before continuing to read.

After reading20 Discuss: Put students into small groups. Ask them to

discuss this chapter (Envy and Wrath). Was this the ending you expected? What did you expect to happen? Did you predict what was in the box? Who do you think has won, the detectives or John Doe? Would you react in the same way as Mills? Do you think what he did was wrong? Should Mills go to prison or face the death penalty, or should he be allowed to go free?