When James commits the act which results in his prison term, do you believe you would have done the same in that circumstance? At the instant it happened, were you with him or against him?
It’s difficult to justify stealing yet it’s also difficult to argue against a young man trying to better himself. I almost felt physical pain when he was arrested
I am thankful for never having had to be in a situation James found himself in. But I remember having such a visceral feeling of anger at the moment Snake shot Spike that I think I would have done what he did as well. Snake was such an evil person but then again killing is never the answer.
I don’t think I would have been brave enough to do it, in the way that James did. I may have shot Snake in the legs to let me get away and get help. But I have never been the victim of such bullying. I found myself feeling great empathy for James, seeing why he did what he did.
I think James was so enraged not only about the dog but about the past abuse by Snake. I felt bad for James knowing his consequences but Snake had it coming. It was just a matter of time before Snake ticked off the wrong person leading to his death. Unfortunately, James was the one.
Unfortunately, I could understand how James felt and acted. An incredible moral dilemma. I don’t know if I would have done the same, but could feel the absolute rage James felt and his deep love and loss for his beloved dog and companion.
I could not kill another person but this was not his first encounter with Snake. James already lost so much, in a moment of insanity he committed the act.
I can see why it happened. The brain’s decision-making/impulse control centers aren’t fully developed until at least the age of 25, and James hadn’t hit that point yet. He held in a lot of anger, and Snake shooting Spike was the last straw. So yeah, I think under the circumstances - being young, angry, and at my breaking point - I probably would have lost control, as James does. I’m not sure about the sticking a gun in my foe’s mouth, though; I’d more likely have shot them from a step or two away.
I was sorry that he killed Black Snake. Yes he was horrified that Black Snake killed Spike then made fun of the dog. James knocked Black Snake to the ground and then I wished he would have just walked away. Or perhaps beat on him a bit while in was down. Putting the gun in his mouth and pulling trigger three times was a bit much.
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I was really surprised that James was so poorly represented. I know Public Defenders are an assembly line and have little time for emotional involvement but, it seems to me SOMEONE would have helped James and gotten a manslaughter charge and much lesser prison sentence3, and maybe an anger management diversion therapy
I am a MAJOR dog lover. When Spike was shot I cried. My heart felt what James’s felt at that moment. I was with James. If I were in that situation I don’t know how I would respond but when this happened to James I had no love for Black Snake and was glad when he was shot.
I agree with you Kim, James was really still a baby, not fully developed. He was bullied, had money stolen, and harassed at his home so experiencing the killing of his beloved Spike pushed him over his breaking point. I would like to think that I could not do it. I have a fear of guns and probably would have fired in any direction but the right one. Scaring the hell out of the both of us. When I was reading that chapter, I will admit that I stopped when he put the gun in Snake’s mouth and pulled the trigger. I wondered why the author chose that way to kill him rather than a shot to the chest? Was it for shock value? Or was it to give more credence to the James’ murder charges and conviction?
James’ reaction was totally emotional. His cognitive brain shut down while the anger and grief responded. He acted without thought, and I think a teenager who already fostered hatred for a guy like Snake would react as the author described. I can’t relate so can’t state what I would have done other than I wouldn’t know how to use a gun and probably would have kicked it away. But then Snake would have picked it up and shot me.
I so agree; however, it would have changed the trajectory of the book.
I totally understood his reaction after all the bullying, stealing of his money, and the shooting of spike, who he was so connected to and loved so dearly. I could feel him “snap” when I was reading that passage. It was absoutly heartbreaking because I could also see his future swirling down the drain in an instant which really effected me emotionally.