Do you ever see wild animals?

‘There were a billion lights out there on the horizon and I knew that all of them put together weren’t enough to light the darkness in the hearts of some men.’ -Michael Connelly, bestselling author

The quote is taken from The Scarecrow. The book is second in my fave author’s Jack McEvoy series. I’ve read all of the trilogy. The read alternates between Nevada and LA. The protagonist is wistful as he views the city of angels below. The quote holds that millions of denizens have no real idea of the dangers lurking within.

This passage reminded me of Harry Potter, where he does heroics while the whole castle was unawares and carefree. Only he and his friends stand between Hogwarts and tragedy.

Beyond fantasy

Wild animals do not only exist in fantasy series or in The Last Coyote by Connelly. These feral creatures may have disappeared from metropoles, the Amazon or Congo. As Connelly proffers, they are ‘in the hearts of some men’ out there.

You don’t have to visit hell or subsist in the wild. Heaven, Hell, and purgatory are states of mind. Some have asserted that we are serving our purgatory and heaven right now. In Sydney, you are as likely to chance upon a dingo as you are to have lightning strike you. There are storks instead of vultures. These are particularly ubiquitous near the Sydney Opera House. Hyenas are far away as we don’t want their bloodshot eyes.

Krakauer

Years ago, I made a post here, a review of Into The Wild. I saw the movie but skipped the book. Recently, I finished my second Jon Krakauer. In the movie, Alexander unloads all his earthly possessions and heads to Alaska to live as a nomad. He takes up this ascerbic lifestyle to show that possessions don’t really matter. Cars, gold, and greenback are irrelevant. An oldie offered him a home to stay. Kirsten Stewart was underage but liked him. His response? Thanks but no thanks. I’d rather head to Alaska and eat wild herbs.

Michael Connelly talks of the light, similar to how Dexter Morgan did. One of his other books is called Lost Light. Morgan yearns to see the light vanish from his victim’s eyes. In Connelly’s case, the light is the good in LA’s residents. This chafes the wheat from the grain. In spite of the heavy lights, a few bad men could overpower the multitude. Just like a few rotten apples spoils the bunch.

Universal

The great thing about this quote is its universality. It can be applied to a small town or even to Sydney (my current city). To Hogwarts and prep schools. To whodunits and feature films. The saying is microcosmic. It’s a picture into humanity, an ear into our being.

The Scarecrow ain’t as popular as its predecessor, The Poet. The latter is often cited as Connelly’s finest work. It’s got a bit of everything: a murder mystery, an engaging plot, a love story, different perspectives, and short chapters. It keeps you guessing till the end.

Dr Evil

Wherever you go, there will always be evil sorts. You can search the skies and seas but you’ll reach the same conclusion. The darkness in our hearts has persisted since time immemorial. There’s no filter for good souls, no disease only targeting wicked men. Like Connelly’s characters, we’ve got to adapt.

Once, I was waiting for the train at our station. This lady beside me said, ‘Bad man, very bad man.’

She reacted to this guy’s behaviour. She then said that she married an Aussie to live here. A few of us were amused.

Journey

Life on earth is fleeting. We are just passing through. Many of us believe that our journey continues. This is merely a phase and nothing lasts forever. Focus on doing good deeds as tomorrow is not set in stone.

Perhaps Connelly isn’t only referring to the lights of LA, but the billions on the planet. All those lights combined ‘cannot steady the unrest’ of those who’ve lost their way.

The use of darkness and the night is also significant. He views evildoers as critters of the moon. They can hide and camouflage their behaviour. They’re ‘nocturnal animals.’ Even with billions of light, they cannot contain the malaise. We only hope for the coming morning and the dawn of a new day.