A bloody mess (Prompt #14, ch 7)

#14

I think one scene in a book that sheds light into what Katz and Bryson were going through is when they are in Birch Spring Gap Shelter. It is infested with mice and they continue to scamper all around the shelter and on top of Bryson and Katz.

"I buried myself in my bag and pulled the drawstring tight over my head. And thus passed the night, with repeated sequences of Katz being violent, followed by silence, followed by scamperings, followed by Katz being violent. I slept surprisingly well, all things considered. I expected Katz to wake in a foul temper, but in fact he was chipper. 'There's nothing like a good night's sleep and that was nothing like a good night's sleep,' he announced when he stirred, and gave an appreciative guffaw. His happiness, it turned out, was because he had killed seven mice and was feeling very proud-not to say pumped up and gladiatorial. Some fur and nubbin of something pink and pulpy still adhered to the bottom of his water bottle, I noticed when he raised it to his lips. Occasionally it troubled me (I presume it must trouble most hikers from time to time) just how far one strays from the normal measures of civility on the trail. this was such a moment." (pg 96)

I think that this is a key quote because it is showing clearly how much the both of them have changed since starting the Appalachian Trail. Obviously, at home, no one goes on a hunt to kill a mice that have gotten into their home. There are tools such as mouse traps and poison. But, on the Appalachian Trail there is none of those tools. So, Katz tapped into his bestiality, attempting to kill any mouse in sight, relying on the tools he had (a water bottle, a flashlight, and his boots). Of course, this seems insanely absurd, but no one would enjoy rodents crawling all over them while trying to sleep. I think this quote shows how we should appreciate the luxuries we have, and how different things were way back when. This taps into a reoccurring theme which is to be appreciative for what we have and not to take it for granted.