Guilt and Blame Quotes in I Know This Much is True

Dominick's response to this is "guilty." He experiences a kind of survivor's guilt because Ray abused Ma and Thomas but not really him. He also feels guilty because by merely avoiding Ray's abuse, and not stopping it, Dominick feels complicit in it.

By saying this, Dominick seems to be blaming Thomas for being abused by Ray—as though by not being quick-witted or savvy enough to avoid it, Thomas somehow deserved Ray's terrible treatment.

Here's what we mean by Leo's "survival of the fittest" attitude. Leo doesn't seem to feel guilty about it at all, though. But it's easy for Dominick to get mad when he's the one getting sold out.