I agree with Austin and Brad in the second part of The Violent Bear it Away we have to questions Rayber sanity. Rayber seems completely drenched in guilt that he could not save Tarwater from the Old man earlier and this idea and the fact that it is his sister's son seems to haunt him. He even describes Tarwater as looking like him, probably not just because of the family likeness but because Tarwater had to live the life that Rayber barely escaped.
I think this plays into his guilt about not getting his nephew earlier, the idea that he escaped this life of religious influence and becoming a prophet whereas Tarwater not only did not escape it but is still influenced by the Old Man's words and the guilt of not burying the Old Man but rather burning him instead.
It seems that Rayber takes his guilt to a whole new level when he allows his own son to be harmed by Tarwater. We have to conclude that his only interest is the interest in trying to fix Tarwater which becomes the obsession that leads to his downfall because he cannot see what is coming.
I feel really bad for Rayber and Tarwater it seems like they have been haunted by this notion of becoming a prophet and everyone in their family has suffered from it, whether it be kidnappings, death, or losing ones mind. They all have been placed with this curse of becoming a prophet which is ironic due to the fact that it is supposedly a blessing.
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While reading these chapters I began to question Rayber’s sanity as well. I feel as though he jumps back and forth between rationality and insanity. I especially thought he was somewhat crazy when he followed Tarwater late at night in his pajama shirt and no shoes. Before he leaves his house to follow the boy he runs into his room to put his pants on but forgets shows. How can anyone forget shoes? Particularly knowing that he has no idea where Tarwater is going to go or how long he will be out for. Shoes would seem like a natural instinct to me. He seems obsessed with the idea that he must ‘fix’ Tarwater. And this obsession of following and ‘fixing’ Tarwater has me believe that Rayber is balancing on the line that borders the sane and the insane.
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