The Changing Definition of Home

The Ax

The Devore home shifts from a place of security into a site of financial strain, concealed evidence, family support, and investigative danger.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

A Home Within Means A Home Within Means from "The Ax". A Home Within Means A Stable Domestic Base The Devore family home belongs to a period when income and expenses remain in balance.

A Home Within Means from "The Ax". A Home Within Means A Stable Domestic Base The Devore family home belongs to a period when income and expenses remain in balance.

A Home Within Means A Stable Domestic Base The Devore family home belongs to a period when income and expenses remain in balance. The family’s routines make the house feel like evidence of a secure life. Security Assumed Burke treats the home as something he can preserve through continued work. The coming layoff shows how quickly housing and stability can become linked to an employer’s decision.

The Office at Home The Office at Home from "The Ax". The Office at Home Work Moves Into a Spare Room The former guest room becomes Burke’s office as he spends more time at home.

The Office at Home from "The Ax". The Office at Home Work Moves Into a Spare Room The former guest room becomes Burke’s office as he spends more time at home.

The Office at Home Work Moves Into a Spare Room The former guest room becomes Burke’s office as he spends more time at home. His job search and private planning occupy the domestic space. A Room of Secrets The office contains résumés and materials Marjorie does not understand. Home remains shared territory, yet Burke creates a private zone inside it.

Billy’s Closet Billy’s Closet from "The Ax". Billy’s Closet Hidden Stolen Goods Burke discovers a substantial collection of computer software in Billy’s closet after the arrest.

Billy’s Closet from "The Ax". Billy’s Closet Hidden Stolen Goods Burke discovers a substantial collection of computer software in Billy’s closet after the arrest.

Billy’s Closet Hidden Stolen Goods Burke discovers a substantial collection of computer software in Billy’s closet after the arrest. The bedroom that seemed merely crowded has been reorganized around a secret. A Second Concealment Burke and Marjorie remove the software and later hide the empty bookcase in the garage. The family home becomes a place where evidence is actively managed rather than simply lived in.

The Police Search The Police Search from "The Ax". The Police Search Officers Enter Police search the Devore home for stolen property while Burke and Marjorie wait in the living room.

The Police Search from "The Ax". The Police Search Officers Enter Police search the Devore home for stolen property while Burke and Marjorie wait in the living room.

The Police Search Officers Enter Police search the Devore home for stolen property while Burke and Marjorie wait in the living room. Burke has already hidden the Luger and disposed of Billy’s software. A House That Appears Normal The search yields nothing, and the officers leave. The family’s domestic space returns to quiet, but it now contains a concealed history that the police have not found.

Burton at the Living Room Burton at the Living Room from "The Ax". Burton at the Living Room A Familiar Interior Burton waits in the living room beneath the Winslow Homer print.

Burton at the Living Room from "The Ax". Burton at the Living Room A Familiar Interior Burton waits in the living room beneath the Winslow Homer print.

Burton at the Living Room A Familiar Interior Burton waits in the living room beneath the Winslow Homer print. The domestic setting provides a calm backdrop for questions about murder. Home Becomes Uncertain Burke’s private office and the family’s shared rooms are no longer separate from the investigation. The home that once represented safety is now a place where concealment may be tested.

Before October 1995

After Burke’s layoff

Late May 1997

The Sunday after Billy’s arrest

July 3, 1997