"If anything, gives us even more reason to get our butts out there. If the sun's really gone, won't be long before plants and animals drop dead, too. I think the desperation level just went up a notch." (34. 27)
The definition of manipulation is to "control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage." The Creators are pretty good at it, no? By upping the desperation level, they are forcing the boys into more desperate reactions.
"Leader?" Minho barked a grunt that was probably supposed to be a laugh. "Yeah, call him leader all you want. Maybe we should call him El Presidente. Nah, nah—Admiral Alby. There you go." (12.17)
Minho mocks Alby for being a leader, but everyone defers to his decisions nonetheless. Would you say he was the Leader? Which type of leadership is more effective, de facto or de jure? (Not up to date on your Latin legal terms? Neither are most people, but it makes you feel really smart. Go ahead and Google it, we'll wait.)
Quote 3
Minho continued. "Alby didn't wanna go back to his old life. He freaking sacrificed himself for us—and they aren't attacking, so maybe it worked. We'd be heartless if we wasted it." (55.51)
Good point, Minho—you're always thinking. Is a sacrifice truly sacrifice if nothing good comes out of it? If nothing does, then isn't it just a tragedy?