Darkenfloxxd

In the story "Escape from Spiderhead" we begin to develop empathy for the main character, Jeff, as we find him in a state of oppression. We experiences emotions as he weans in and out of various drugs. We see him interact with other test subjects, and our knowledge of our situation expands as the story progresses. We understand that Jeff is smarter than the average test subject, who realizes the setup of the experiment he is a part of. Towards the end of the story, we discover Jeff's increasing desire to leave this "Spiderhead", and follow him as he moves towards his demise.

But let's take a step back. We can infer that the situation he is placed in is only temporary. Jeff Skypes his mother once a week, in which she gets to see his progress. We know that each participant has a criminal history, and their involvement in this program is an alternative to the traditional prison system. I found it interesting that I would associate names in the story with people I knew in real life. As Vladimir Nabokov states, "the worst thing a reader can do, he identifies himself with a character in the book". I found myself feeling for Jeff as he expressed his desire to stay on the love drug. I felt his emotions as the story progressed.

For me, one of the hardest parts of the chapters was when Jeff learns the criminal past of his fellow test subjects. These people who I imagined in each experiment had violent pasts, yet I still felt that some part of this experiment was morally wrong. Each test subject leading a similar life flooded with uncontrollable emotions, sent by some higher power. While not completely recognizable, these experiences are somewhat relatable. This is why it is so easy to empathize with Jeff, who uses the little knowledge he does have of the situation to get out of it.