Essay Questions

Why does Krauss shoot Temple?

There are two answers to the is question; the first is more esoteric. Why does Krauss shoot anybody? He is a sociopath who is given to extraordinary violence, and he has no moral backbone or personal code of ethics that keeps these tendencies in check. However, Temple is drawn to his attention specifically because Krauss perceives him as a threat.

In a rare moment of non-violence, brought about in an effort to preserve both his career and his freedom, Krauss lets the remaining motel guests go, on the condition that they do not breathe a word about their experience. Most of the guests are only too happy to agree to this; they would agree to almost anything if it meant they could get away from Krauss. However, Temple has caught a glimpse of Pollard's body lying in the other room, and cannot seem to stop talking about it. He continues to tell Krauss that he has seen a body, and Krauss realizes that Temple will most likely tell a great many other people once he gets out of the motel. In order to prevent this fro happening, he kills him.

Why were the National Guard called into Detroit?

The National Guard were called into Detroit because the protests had turned into full scale rioting. There was mass looting and a great deal of violence; in short, the peaceful protest was no longer peaceful and the rioting and looting that ensued was out of control and extremely dangerous to the citizens of Detroit.

The police department was equipped to deal with smaller outbreaks of crime, but not a city-wide attack on homes, city buildings and businesses, and they were outnumbered by the rioters which made it extremely hard to keep the peace. Because the National Guard were trained in a military capacity they were more equipped to be able to take on the task with a strategy and a plan in place, and there were also more of their number than there were of the police.

Why did Larry leave the music business?

Larry was deeply traumatized by what he witnessed in the Algiers Motel, and he was the only member of the group to actually witness it. When the group's bus was attacked, they had decided it would be safer to split up, which is why only Larry and Temple were staying the night at the motel. He witnessed Temple's murder, and because of this his experiences in the riots were far harder to overcome than the experiences of the other members of the band.

Although he did not join the group again, or become a professional musician as he had planned, Larry did continue to sing in church.