Sig finally gets his hands on the gun. Held hostage this whole time by Wolff, we fully expect him to pull the trigger… but instead he just leaves.
Wait, what?
We're surprised when Sig leaves without shooting Wolff, but maybe even more so when he doesn't really tell us why. Why would he leave the guy alive when his life is still in danger? Why would Sig leave the cabin, knowing there are more bullets (that could kill him) in the gun?
It's not until fifty years later that we get the answer. Anna shares our confusion, telling Sig:
"You know, I understand it now. There's always a third choice in life. Even if you think you're stuck between two impossible choices, there's always a third way. You just have to look for it." (39.35)
Hmm… could the author be trying to tell us something? It's as though we—the audience—are supposed to learn this, right along with Sig and Anna.
We get that Sig's trying to live up to both of his parents' standards. His mom is super religious and always preaching to turn the other cheek instead of fight, while his dad, on the other hand, believes that sometimes guns are necessary. As the book ends, though, we understand that Sig has found some middle ground—a place between his parents' respective rigid beliefs. He found an alternative route to escaping Wolff, and when we see this, we know that Sig is thinking for himself.