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Do you guys also get the feeling that Steve is just following what Roxy says?
I mean, I understand Roxy's fight; I do. But I wonder if Steve would've joined the police or if, once in the police force, he would've joined the "system" if it weren't for Roxy.
Take, for instance, the following quote: "They had questioned law school after Kent State, but he took this different path. Now he had this new plan that they needed to discuss. It would put them back on track." (p. 190)
Are all his actions guided by a desire to please her? Or is he truly socially aware?

If Roxy wasn't in the picture, there is a chance he would've gone to law school instead of the police department. Roxy was the one who always took him to protests and other movements. The fact that he would be able to stay with Roxy if he joined the police department was also a major factor in his decision, as he didn't want to leave Roxy alone.

I get that feeling as well that he is just following what Roxy says. He joined the marches because she begged him to go, he joined the police force because she asked him to do more to change what was going on. I feel he's just being led around by her because he wants to impress her and he's afraid of losing her.

I don't think Steve made decisions because he always thought what would Roxy think. If the idea was not welcomed by Roxy then he would drop it. I feel he was more of a prisoner than a partner.

I think so. he was just trying to dance to the tune of Roxy. but the police job he took was drawing him away gradually.

I think love can do that to a person. Steve had his life planned around Roxy. At first, he wanted to study law so he could be close to Roxy. And when he wanted to join the police force, he needed Roxy's support. And when he left the apartment, he did it because of Roxy.

So no, Steve doesn't make his own decisions.

I think all of us are responsible for making our own decisions. That being said, Steve was greatly influenced by his attachment to Roxy which resulted in his decisions being tainted.

I definitely agree with you guys. Roxy was a major influence in all of Steve's decisions. He moved to Ohio and dropped out of law school for her! However, the decision to become a cop was all him. Yes Roxy was a little stunned about him "going brown", but she supported his decision. Also, his decision for going all the way to the FBI about the corruption of the bade was all his idea; he didn't even tell her what he was doing.

in my opinion, Steve never made his own decisions. they were always influence by what Roxy would think. if Roxy never existed, Steve would have left Providence the minute he graduated for law school. he would have never been influenced to join the police force to stay behind for her.

I think Steve was like a puppet to Roxy's will and whims. He did not make his decisions independent of Roxy's influence. His life would have most likely taken a different turn if Roxy never came into his life.

I think his desire to please her made him do whatever she wants him to do. I do not think he was making his own decision at all.

Roxy controlled the decisions Steve made a lot. I do not think Steve made the decisions all on his own.

Steve was all about Roxy and his decision to join the force was heavily influenced by her. Steve wanted to be a hero in Roxy's eyes. Even after he caught her with Cal, he blamed himself and was willing to forgive her. I do believe that while on the force, he made some decisions on his own as to how he would go about exposing the corruption within, but Roxy was never far away from his thoughts. His greatest desire was to please her.

I think Steve made all his decisions for Roxy. But somewhere along the way, he realized what he was doing was important to him. His world revolved around Roxy though, and that always came first. It's not as much "following what Roxy says" but more of "Roxy will be proud, Roxy will like this, Roxy will approve"

Yes, but I don't believe he made the decisions for himself as much as to impress Roxy, who wasn't impressed. The reason for his decisions was all about Roxy, so she would see that he was making a difference. But I don't think he understood Roxy.