Columbine #2 - After and Before

This section of the novel focused on the aftermath of the massacre. How did the community react? What were the implications? What was the motif? And was there a specific target? This section was full of questions. And the biggest question was the WHY. 

The media at first took every piece of information. The calls recieved during the massacre were used, along with the never-ending interviews. Each student became a witness to the investigation, the words became interchangable. The media not only was trying to decipher what had happened, but also how it changed the community. Littleton united; they asked questions, mourned together, and wept together. Cullen describes their expressions as "vacant," like they didn't know what to feel. I believe this occured from the shock. There were also so many emotions inside, that they didn't know how to show them; they were angry, confused, scared, sad, tired, and surprised all at the same time. Friends and family were still missing, and even worse, some were dead. Some were left in the school lying on the floor, or even outside on the pavement. Some were in hospitals recieving treatment. Some crowded around hospital patients for comfort and others crowded around the premises of the crime scene. Rachel, a student killed, had flowers placed all around her car in the parking lot and students would gather around and weep together. Littleton underwent a dramatic change.

Many professionals were brought to the crime scene; the FBI, local police officers, detectives, therapists, psychologists, and more. Many questions were brought to the thinking table: Should they rebuild the school to the way it was or remodel? Which would shock the students more? How could they help families cope with the tragic event? How would they interview everyone? How would detectives and the media create a conclusion from the facts provided? Where would the students now go to school? Who had died? Who were the killers and conspirators? What was their motif? All these brains were trying to answer these questions. They researched, interviewed, and searched Dylan and Eric's homes and were able to make some conclusions, but the case was never over.

The common description of the killers was that they were wearing trench coats. This led students to believe they were a part of the Trench Coat Mafia (TCM), a group of students who wanted to make a statement. However, Eric and Dylan were not from the TCM, but only adapted the trench coats for the dark look and convenience because they easily stored many weapons. They confused the audience with these trenchcoats and made them seem like gothic and isolated loners who hated jocks, the common stereotype of shooters. I think this was smart for what they were doing becuase they were disguised and played a different role, like a movie! 

The more research they did, the more detectives found. Eric left behind journals explaining why he had put together this massacre and how he did it. There were sketches and reflections. He wanted them to find this. What I found interesting is that his past and childhood reflected upon his actions. Eric harassed an old friend Books who apparently betrayed him. Brooks had leaked information to Eric's parents about Eric and Eric was furious. He began vandalizing Brooks' home and encouraged others to do so as well on his website. He provided him with the address and described Brooks as an "asshole." Brooks was one of the people he harassed and vandalized. Everything slowly came together for the investigators.

I am eager to read the next section because I believe that they will reveal what was actually in Eric's journals. Why did he want to do this? How did he do this? And how did he convince Dylan to join him? Had Dylan chose to do this? How much input did Dylan have? After reading this section of many questions, more questions are raised.