yaakov bronsteyn

Collins is awesome. Couldn’t put the book down. Snow is a 17 year old who is always making internal calculations counter to his exterior actions. None of the people in his life are really aware of intentions except for Lucy Gray. In this way, he doesn’t allow himself to fully imbibe the beautiful things that happen to him. He’s mostly caught up in his image, status, and power. As a result he betrays his best friend, takes advantage of his family, and loses the only person he truly loves. He comes so close to happiness, courage, accomplishment, perseverance, and love that it’s almost painful to read. Keeping life’s treasures at bay makes him snap at the moment of real test. This leads to a swift downhill into depravity which is a small percentage of the book. One point I don’t really grasp. Is it possible? The emotions are so acute that even I, the reader, got caught up in them. How is it possible that they didn’t affect him? The way that his friend saved him and extricated him out of misery was as special as it gets. How was he even capable of betraying him? The way that he fell in love with Lucy Gray was extraordinary. Doesn’t he remember how terrified he was of losing her when she almost died in the games? When he got up from his seat and screamed her name? Doesn’t he know how much she’s a part of him. How he thinks of what she would do in different situations before he makes a decision? “Own it” is ringing in his ears. Even his eventual evil actions are a mimicry of her. How can he choose to live without her? As far as their argument about people’s nature I think that they are both wrong or right depending on perspective. Yes, people are born good. But, without control they can easily devolve into evil. Look at the riots going on now all over the US. At the same time that control can’t curtail their innate human rights and take away their freedoms. Therefore, delicate a balance has to be struck. Veering in either direction creates a recipe for evil. The Mishnah says, “Pray for the welfare of the Government. Because, if it were not for it’s fear(in people’s eyes) people would swallow each other alive. ( Ethics of Our Fathers Chap 1). At the end of the day it’s never too late. He could’ve salvaged everything if he would’ve just admitted to Lucy Gray that he ratted on his friend. That it was on impulse. That he couldn’t take it back. And throw himself at her mercy. That he would understand if she would leave him. In this way he would show her that she trust him even if he makes fatal mistakes. But, he was scared and embarrassed. I felt it. I bet she sensed it. That was the point where he changed. Wish the author would tell us what she was thinking. The story is told from Snow’s perspective. Too bad. This story really affected me because it encapsulates the tragedy of humanity. Snow was a self-fulfilling prophecy that people are bad. It didn’t have to be like that because every one has free choice.