Colt Smith

Mrs. Branning

Pre - Ap English

18 November 2019

Murder In the Morning

Lizzie Borden had an axe; She gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had

done, she gave her father forty - one. This nursery rhyme only sums up what happened the tragic

day that Lizzie and Emma Borden lost both of their parents to a person with an axe. Born July

nineteenth, 1860, Lizzie Borden was a happy little average girl living in The Bay State of

Massachusetts. However, fast forward to the day of August 4th, 1892, where a mystery unfolded

in that house. The passage also says that the Borden house had been broken into before, so the

robber had to know their way around. Lizzie Borden is in fact guilty as charged of murdering her

parents. If Lizzie had not one issue with her parents, then no problem would have come up.

However, sadly Lizzie did have troubles with her parents every day. The passages also talked

about how he had a great worth in his life. Could this be a motive for Lizzie to kill her father?

Lizzie would not have just murdered her father and mother, she had to have a genuine

reason to commit such a crime. For example, if Lizzie’s father at the time was the “president of the

Union saving’s bank and director in the Durfee bank, Globe yarn, Merchants and Troy mill,” then

Lizzie would have the perfect reason to murder her father. In addition, “he was interested in several

big real estate deals, and was a very wealthy man.” This quote shows the wealth of Mr. Adrew

Borden and the perfect price for his life. Now, Lizzie’s mother died when she was little, however

she had grown up with a stepmother who did not get along with them very well. The passage even
states that “they did not have a very close relationship with her, and things were, at times,

contentious between them.” This quote shows how much of a tense relationship they had, and

gives the reason to kill her.

Lizzie could not have just murdered her parents without having a plan of action.

If Lizzie had not had a plan to murder her parents, then she would have made a great mess.

However, it says that “everything about the room was in order, and there were no signs of a scuffle

of any kind.” This quote shows that Lizzie, when murdering her parents, had to have a plan of

action to not make a “scuffle” of any kind, then she had to make it look like not one person was in

the house at the time. According to the text, “Miss Borden was so overcome by the awful

circumstances that she could not be seen, and kind friends led her away and cared for her.” This

quote could mean that Lizzie did not want to be questioned so she faked crying just to be sent

away. Lizzie of course knew her stepmother and what she did around the house. The text states

that “it was a well known fact that Mrs. Borden always left the room while her husband was

talking business with anyone.” The quote here shows that if her father was talking business then

her stepmother went upstairs, so in that moment she could murder one of them without them

knowing.

Lizzie may claim that she was not in the house during the crimes, however some of her

actions prove that she may have been the evildoer. In the passage Lizzie states, “So you have given

me away, haven’t you?” This quote shows how Lizzie is literally asking her sister if she ratted her

out about murdering her parents. The text also gives information about Lizzie purchasing

poisonous acid, so when Lizzie was done speaking to her sister she said “measuring the end of her

forefinger with her thumb, said, “Well, I won’t give it that much.” This quote shows that Lizzie
had to make a measure of how much poison she gave her parents. When Lizzie did buy the

poisonous acid from a local store she may have bought it for a cleaning product for the maid.

However, if Lizzie did buy the acid for the maid

Lizzie The text stated that “the heavy fall and a subdued groaning attracted Miss Borden

into the house.” If the heavy fall had attracted Miss Borden how did the Lizzie say that “so

noiselessly had the deed been done that neither of them was aware of the bloody work going on so

near them.” This quote shows how she was attracted to the house makes not one bit of since.

Also, Lizzie stated “to a police officer, Miss Borden said she was at work in the barn about 10

o’clock.” If the murder was committed at 9:30 a.m., then Lizzie could have murdered her parents

then went to the barn to hide the axe.

Lizzie Borden is guilty of murdering her parents. Much too many things line up and all

point to one person. If Lizzie did not murder her parents, then who could have. She was the only

person who had issues with her parents. When all is said and done, Lizzie Borden is guilty of the

crime of murdering her parents.