“He’s Mine”

Compare two thoughts from different chapters. Jacob in chapter six: “this story must have one owner”. Simon in chapter seven: “he’s mine, I’ll finish him myself”. The victim has begun to speak the owner’s language. This is identification with the aggressor: a psyche that could not defeat force appropriates its grammar instead — power, property, control.

In this finale the whole mechanism of violence being handed down is visible: the father “owned” Simon, Jacob “owned” Simon, now Simon prepares to “own” Jacob. None of them chose this grammar — each learned it on his own skin. The circle can break only where someone receives a different experience of power: the hand that holds an umbrella, not a throat.