Something I never understood
Why didn't Streator just kill Oyster when he hit Helen or talked about destroying all of humanity? You'd think that because Oyster didn't have the shield until a lot later, and he was causing large amounts of problems the entire book, he'd just kill him, since he didn't seem to have a problem killing people like those radio personalities, or even Nash when he felt he was a problem. He could have avoided all of his problems in the end by just killing Oyster, why didn't he?
What's interesting is that Oyster and Mona are actually doing good with their powers. except for the ivy thing i guess if they did that.
He agreed with Oyster's philosophy, except for hitting Helen.
I just finished the book, and the theme of family stuck out to me.
I asked the same question early on; why wouldn't Carl just kill Oysetr? But by the end I was left with a feeling that both Carl and Helen valued their new "family." Carl lost his real daughter, therefor needing Mona-- and Helen lost her real son, therefor needing Oyster. Helen and Carl loved each other and did not want to destroy their family like they did before. . . Most of Oyster and Mona's actions could be expect from any rebelling teenager.
Maybe I am way off here.
That was my first reaction, too, but it seems to me that dysfunctional as it may be, Carl holds onto the family ideal, and sees Oyster as a son. But I think the main reason he doesn't do it is because he doesn't want to kill anyone, not really, and by now he's learned to control himself. The reason he doesn't want to kill Oyster is probably because, at that point, Oyster is not dangerous, he's just inconvinient. The only people Carl contemplates killing are those who know the culling song, and Oyster doesn't.
Christ. Reading the book, I wanted to kill Oyster.
This is why we can't have nice things.
i don't think carl killed oyster because he would have let oyster win- he would have proved to oyster, mona, and helen that he is weak and kills whoever he wants. he didn't kill oyster to prove that he is strong even tough he isn't. the whole novel was a struggle for power
I should probably read this someday.
author's artistic liscense?