The Impulsive Decisions In Moon Of The Crusted Snow And Bird Box

It has been said that the average person lies 10 to 200 times a day. This is why it is almost impossible to tell the truth from a lie, especially if the person is a stranger. The attitude from characters towards strangers presented in Moon of the Crusted Snow and Bird Box emphasizes how in times of despair, the way in which newcomers are treated and unfamiliar situations are addressed is altered. Feelings and emotions cloud judgment, leaving people more susceptible to lies and deception. Furthermore, when people are put face to face with stressful situations, they are more likely to make impulsive decisions to gain back power, respect, security and stability. Additionally, uncertainty in the current state of affairs brings out feelings of hopelessness,

In Moon of the Crusted Snow, following the arrival of Mark Phillips and the other outsiders, Justin Scott makes a rash decision about how to best handle the unfamiliar situation. What’s more, he sees the unprecedented circumstance as a leverage point to gain power and respect for the community. After Justin Scott kills newcomer Mark Phillips, he tries to defend himself by stating that Phillips was “Desperate and crazy”, while also arguing that the community has “Gotta make a stand” (Rice 141). To elaborate, in spite of the fact that Justin Scott is an outsider himself, he sees the uncertainty Mark Phillips' arrival causes, as an opportunity to prove his loyalty to the community. His actions are careless and out of line, thus, emphasizing how his desire for power drives him to act irrationally. Likewise, in the film Bird Box, when a stranger (Olympia) first knocks on the door, Malorie immediately takes charge of the situation by pulling out a shotgun and commanding orders of the survivors in the

In Moon of the Crusted Snow, Justin Scott’s motives are deceptive and misleading, whereas in Bird Box, Malories motives are true and honorable. Yet, in both instances, their objectives for power, stability, trust, and respect remain interchangeable. As a result, unresolved conflicts play a huge role in their decision making and judgment of others, causing their decisions to be made with an astonishing lack of discernment. In addition, despite massive warning signs and waving red flags, in desperate times people often make poor judgment calls, and place trust in strangers in hopes that they will bring clarity. Upon Justin Scott’s arrival in Moon of the Crusted Snow, Evan immediately has a bad instinct about him, however, his concerns are quickly overlooked by Chief Terry Meegis and other Band Council members who believe Scott’s back-story, and think that he could be of great value to the community. As stated in the novel, "The arrogance that had been in his voice when he'd been talking to Isaiah and Evan gave way to respect, though Evan questioned its sincerity" (Rice