I just started this book, but one of the first things that
happened was a school shooting. It was done by two boys, Eric Harris and Danny
Klebold, in their high school. I couldn’t help but relate it to what happened
Friday in Sandy Hook Elementary.
It struck me how accurate Lamb’s description was. After the
shooting, the school became a crime scene, and parents were hopefully reunited
with their children at a separate location. There were memorials and funerals
for the gone, and there were crosses put up in their memory. Teachers made
sacrifices for their students, and were recognized for their bravery. Lives
were lost for no reason, and people mourned.
I really got what his characters were feeling throughout and
after the shooting, especially because of what just happened. I think that
because of the shooting Friday, I got the story more and it struck me more
deeply. I wish it hadn’t happened, but it helped put my book into perspective.
One of the differences in the two stories was the motive. In
‘The Hour I First Believed’, Eric and Danny were sick of being bullied. Of
being picked on by the jerks. Of getting shoved to the back of the lunch line.
They decided to do something about it. That ‘something’ turned out to be
planting bombs and shooting. But they warned the few people they called their
friends, let them get away. Whereas in the tragedy on Friday, no one was
spared, and his motives are unknown.
All shootings are horrible, especially the one on Friday.
But we can learn from them. And in the case of this book, they help us
understand it better.
hey
ReplyDeletewow that's weird and coincidental.. but i like the way you related it. I think the shooting last friday is still settling on people in different ways and definitely having an effect on more than just the school. I think that one of the motives may have been anger. anger builds up and a lot of people don't know how to handle it. A school shooting is beyond extreem, but sadly realistic. My hope is that people learned from last friday and realzied how devastating something can be just because someone was angry and hopefully no one will commit it again.
nice post!
Mary