The Lazarus Project 1-27

I find this book to be very interesting and intriguing in part because of the way the book is written. I feel the present and past method (or flashback) gives the story a sense of adventure and mystery, giving the reader an opportunity to serve as a detective and solve the odd murder.

Towards the beginning of the chapter, the narrator shows signs of not liking his life, having a very negative attitude towards it. For instance, he states "All the lives i could live, all the people i will never know, never will be, they are everywhere. That is all the world is." i feel this quote shows how the narrator may be impoverished and jealous of the lavish lifestyle other people live. Although the rich seem unhappy when describing them, he still shows sings of jealousy, proving that money is a very important characteristic to him.

The young man from Sarajevo shows further signs of negativity when referring to the winter conditions. For instance, the quote "He has been in Chicago for seven months, and cold much of the time," shows signs of the men being unhappy in Chicago and not enjoying his new and very different life; different from Sarajevo. Also, the quote "Yet he returns to the ghetto to be angry; there you are always close to the noise and clatter, always steeped in stench," shows Sarajevo may have been more peaceful and serene.

In the murder scene, the events give rise to Boston and its people being somewhat racist. Chief Shippy stereotypes the man because of his skin color, becoming more scared as he typically would with a white person, eventually shooting and killing him. His relief of the supposed murderer being dead is seen as it states "Chief Shippy stands frozen, holding his breath, exhaling with relief as the young man dies." No remorse for the killing a man is seen, just happiness as he is alive.

Racism is also seen as the Assistant Chief stereotypes the man beacuse he is clean shaven and bathed. Although this is a normal occurence for most people, he labels it as bizarre beacuse the man is foreign. Also, he believes the notes in his pocket to be a coded description of a murder plt, rather than taking the words for what they literally say.