But motivation, etc, matters here. I see no inconsistency between fully approving of Oskar whacking Jonny and how I see the Wolves. Ulike the Wolves, Eli cannot simply stop, and Teresa does a lot more than 'fighting back.'drakkar wrote:Yes, "because". I feel that "because" is an abyss I never manage to fully grasp, and that is part of the magic of LS. Eli knows perfectly well how to stop killing people, he just cannot make himself do it. No wonder, suicide among children is rare. OK, Eli is a "kind" mass murderer, but that doesn't do all the difference in the world to me. when I could root for a mass murder like Eli, I can also root for the wolf pack in LS.lombano wrote:There are other differences, most notably that the Wolves kill 'Because!' and Eli kills for sheer survival. Plus, Eli's behaviour towards the woman with cancer shows some measure of kindness towards her victims that the Wolves lack entirely.
In the end, Teresa fights back (hard), but it's a long process trhoughout the book before that happens. Which actually strengthen my perception of Teresa's soul. A deeply troubled soul. In LTROI, one of the possible endings (often considered the "happiest") involve Oskar being turned by Eli in order to be with him, thus choosing to become a mass murderer. Again, a "kind" mass murderer, but still a mass murderer.lombano wrote:the difference between Oskar and Teresa is abysmal. Oskar shows spontaneous kindness several times, such as when he strokes Eli's cheek, when he offers Jonny his sock, very much in contrast to Teresa's casual viciousness. Oskar, at least up to the end of LTROI, is a good kid; Teresa is not. Oskar wants to be left alone by the bullies; Teresa wants to outbully the bullies.
I don't really like the idea of Oskar being turned.