Pet 2/2 reflection

 Elizabeth Thompson

Dr. Ellis

EN 376

20 November 2023

Fear

            Fear is brought up several times throughout Pet, but it is not treated as singularly bad or good. For example, Jam says, “Maybe Bitter would have believed Pet more if Aloe hadn’t been contaminating everything with his fear,” but Pet responds, “Fear is human” (149). Pet puts fear in conversation with the rest of human nature. Jam views Aloe’s fear as a contaminant, something destructive that hinders the hunt. However, Pet does not discourage her from feeling fear as it is natural. Even if fear may be a factor that makes humans hesitate from accepting truth, the other side of Aloe’s fear is love in wanting to protect his daughter. Pet says that as long as Jam keeps moving forward, it is acceptable to feel fear (149).

            Another instance of fear is when Jam processes that Hibiscus is the monster. She thinks, “The anger she felt was something she was leashing as tightly as she could, because it scared her how hot it was, how hungry it was for the things Redemption and Pet wanted” (173). Now, fear is turned inward and interacts with anger and a desire for violence. This passage was interesting because it made me think what is supposed to make a monster. Is it anger or fear that drives one to violence? Perhaps it is okay for people to feel those emotions and acting on them is what makes the monster. Jam experiences violent emotions in this passage, but perhaps her fear of those intense emotions is productive in preventing her from being a monster.

            Lastly, Pet’s final command to her is “DO NOT BE AFRAID” when he reveals his true form, reflecting a biblical imagination of interactions between angels and humans (192). I think maybe truth is supposed to be scary, so it is natural to be afraid, and Pet understands that. In this moment though, fear is not productive because it would cause shock or Jam to freeze when she needs to move forward.

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