There is a lot of killing, a lot of death, in Parable of the Sower. Lauren isn't a evil person; she only kills in self-defense. But I can't help to think that even self-defense must hurt, even for people without empathy. She kills because it's her or them. But they're people, too, with families, goals, aspirations. It's hard for me to not have empathy for those who are murdered, and I think the hyperempathy has us thinking about how the strangers who die and who Lauren feels die are more than just numbers for the body count.
So yeah, the quote:
"Take my word for it. Bad, bad idea. Self-defense shouldn't have to be an agony or killing or both. I can be crippled by the pain of a wounded person. I'm a very good shot because I've never felt that I could afford to just wound someone... The worst of it is, if you got hurt, I might not be able to help you. I might as crippled by your injury---by your pain, I mean---as you are" (278).
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