Friar Edwin Leahy Character Analysis in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

Friar Edwin Leahy is the young, driven headmaster of St. Benedict’s Prep at the time when Robert Peace is a student there. He’s instrumental in motivating Robert to do great things at a high school student, and it’s likely that, had Leahy not spoken to Charles Crawley, Robert would never have been able to go to Yale. In many ways, Leahy is the character in the book who most resembles Jackie Peace: they’re both hardworking, selfless people who try to help the people they love, and then experience the heartbreak of seeing those people ruin their lives.

Friar Edwin Leahy Character Timeline in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

The timeline below shows where the character Friar Edwin Leahy appears in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...became predominately black. During Robert’s time at St. Benedict’s, the headmaster is a twenty-four-year-old named Friar Edwin Leahy . Leahy believes that he has a duty to provide a good education for working-class... (full context)

In the aftermath of the Central / St. Benedict’s fight, there are rumors that Friar Leahy will resign. Robert and his friends have a private meeting with Leahy in which they... (full context)

...Robert gives the keynote address for the evening, and Cawley is struck by Robert’s confidence. Friar Leahy informs him that Robert carried a near-perfect GPA, got up at forty-thirty every morning to... (full context)

...his college expenses, “no questions asked.” Robert is so overcome that he begins to cry. Friar Leahy later informs him that Cawley has never made an offer like this in the twenty-five... (full context)

Friar Leahy has been paying close attention to Robert since Robert has come back to Newark. Because... (full context)

Friar Leahy senses that something is wrong in Robert’s life. But, just as he’s always done, Robert... (full context)

...enough money to support Jackie, and go to graduate school. Yet Robert’s friends—as well as Friar Leahy —notice that he seems burnt out. (full context)

The following spring will be Robert’s last at St. Benedict’s. He’s informed Friar Leahy that he’ll be taking time to travel and then applying to graduate school. At the... (full context)