Self Destructive Behavior

Once the bullet pierced Anders' brain, the writer talks about all the memories that Anders doesn't remember. All of the memories that Anders doesn't remember are horrible events which he has repressed. As soon as i learned about those memories my perspective on him changed drastically. My initial impression of Anders had been negative, a cranky old man who had a bad outlook on life and a sarcastic remark for every response. Upon learning about these horrible experiences he had throughout his life, I found myself feeling sympathy for him. Now, i feel like I understand why he acted the way that he did. His selective memory helped me view him as a victim, a good person deep down who is trying to protect his good heart.
I believe that Anders purposfully provoked the man with the pistol, though probably unconsciously, to kill him. It was interesting to me, that when the bullet struck him in the head, he reflected upon a memory of when he was young, a memory that seems trivial and care free. I would imagine that a dream like that isn't typical of somone who is about to die. Maybe Anders' mind chose this memory because he was repressing his conscious of knowing that he was hoping to be killed. He didn't remember all of the nasty memories of his past; why would he remember that he essentially put himself in a postion to die?
Anders' death probably could have been avoided had he addressed his core issues. If the issues had been addressed consciously, alot of his defenses would have been eliminated. However, because these issues weren't addressed, his self destructive behavior became fatal.