clutter of pinned up articles about the seven deadly sins ” 1994: 73, and
pictures of Christ “pencil drawings of Christ” 1994, 73.
6. Clever
In the beginning of the story, Mills and Somerset flounder how to find John Doe, because every murder that he has done, he never leaves any trace.
In John Doe‟s apartment, there is nothing related to his identity. Sara, one of
forensics, says to Mills that she and other forensics find trouble to search identity of John Doe. It seems there is no living sign at his apartment.
SARA coming to Mills
We can‟t find anything to hang on to. No paystubs, no appointment books or calendars. Not even an address book.
And, you‟re not going to believe this… MILLS
Keep looking. SARA
It‟s just we haven‟t found any fingerprints yet. Not a single one.
Walker, 1994: 76
John Doe is pretty clever to hide his identity. He does not hang any calendar
and appointment book. Even, his fingerprints cannot be found. This is why in the beginning; the name of John Doe is hard to be discovered yet. It is
effortful for the detectives to trace his identity until they enter his apartment, the identity is still covered.
Besides that, John Doe also intentionally leads the detectives to the next victims for each murder. In first homicide case, gluttony, John Doe leaves
a note quoted from John Milton‟s
Paradise Lost.
SOMERSET
reads “Dear Detectives, Long is the way, and hard, that out of
hell leads up to light.” It‟s the murderer‟s way of announcing himself.
CAPTAIN Announcing what?
SOMERSET There are seven deadly sins. Gluttony, wrath,
greed… CAPTAIN
So what? This victim… SOMERSET
… envy, sloth, pride, and lust. Seven. Walker, 1994: 18 Along with Somerset‟s prediction, those murders happen continually. John
Doe wants the detectives to be prepared for what happens next after the gluttony.
In the greed murder case, John Doe circles a photo of Gould‟s wife in both eyes area with blood. He does the blood circles for intended meaning.
Thus, Mills and Somerset come to Mrs. Gould to find out if there is something strange or unusual in the apartment by observing the photographs of crime
scene. Suddenly, she notices something about the painting in the office. She says that it is turned upside-down. Immediately, Somerset and Mills check the
painting, and they find a set of fingertips and handprints on the wall forms letters written “HELP ME” Walker, 1994: 46. Apparently, those fingertips
belong to Victor who is later found as the sloth victim. Therefore, this murder brings Somerset and Mills and other cops to Victor‟s place to confirm whether
Victor is the one who murders Gould or not. His smart plan does not stop until the sloth crime and other crimes
which never leave any trace of his real identity. Somerset and Mills discover
John Doe‟s apartment right after the sloth homicide case in which surprises John Doe because they find him earlier before he finishes his crime for four
more bodies. This surprised visit makes John Doe have to change his final work. However John Doe still manages an ending of story of his murder to be
unpredictable. Doe follows Mills and Somerset after they come from pride crime
scene to police headquarters. He is dressed with full of bloods covering his shirt. One of the bloods belongs
to Doe‟s blood from his fingertips which are peeled off continually as Captain says to Mills and Somerset the reason his
identity cannot be found. His bank account is ended. He pays everything in cash since then. The captain assumes that he is a rich person who is able to
afford all his needs by himself. CAPTAIN
He cuts off the skin if his fingertips.Thats why we cant find a single usable print in the apartment. Hes been doing it for
quite a while. Keeps cutting before the papillary line can grow back.
MILLS What about the trace on his bank account and the guns? There
must be something to connect him with a past. CAPTAIN
So far its all dead ends. No credit history. No employment history. His bank accounts only five years old and it started as
cash. Were even trying to trace his furniture, but for now all we know is hes independently wealth, well educated and
totally insane. We may never know how he got that way.
SOMERSET Because he is John Doe, by choice. Walker, 1994: 97
Besides the blood of John Doe in his shirt, there are also the blood from the beautiful model who is the pride victim and unidentified victim in
which the writer believes as Mills‟ wife blood that will be discovered later.
