The Greatest Manipulator (spoilers)

Being manipulated can cause rage but rage itself is the greatest manipulator. 

I finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and it was an absolutely beautiful book with an incredibly deep story line of an even deeper  message. Continuing from my last post, the African American man (named Tom Robinson) accused of rape is (basically) revealed as innocent but is still made guilty and got killed when he tried to escape to his family.  The man who was the "victim's" father (his name was Bob Ewell), had actually beaten his daughter and blamed it on the African American man which costed both their lives. This happened when Bob Ewell  became extremely angry at Atticus for almost proving that he had beaten his daughter and near the end of the book, attempted to kill Jem and Scout. While doing so, he broke Jem's left arm, and while struggling, fell on his own kitchen knife (that he planned to use for killing Jem and Scout), killing himself. So who is the real enemy?

Technically Bob Ewell would be but in a way, wasn't rage? If anger had not consumed him he would not have beat his daughter, he would not have hated Atticus or his family, and he wouldn't have attempted to kill Jem and Scout. Of course, this is still his fault for you cannot blame anger. It is purely an emotion but when one chooses to let anger be their drive, that becomes a fault of that person with deep consequences. It is hard though, shielding yourself from the temptations and want of rage, revenge, anger, and all those negative but powerful feelings. We have to stay strong though, and resist this want to get angry for anger can become a weakness and blind ourselves.

I am not a hypocrite so yes, I have been and still get extremely angry sometimes. So angry that all the reason and sense in my mind is replaced with hate and flames of fury. Can we see behind flames though? Can we see those trying to make us understand or those who care about us? Anger will only grow, infecting its victims with the destruction it can cause, like a wildfire destroying the trees and forests that were once serene. If one does not put out the flames, it will become an inferno that can only destroy, and when the day comes that the fire goes out, they will realize that the burns would be too severe to heal.

You never know what one may do when blinded by anger. Offend someone, injure someone, kill someone...kill themself. I don't want to know and nor do I wish for others to. It is alright to get angry, we are only human and anger is a part of us but what we do need to know is when to calm down and let things be.

Rage is the greatest manipulator but that doesn't mean that manipulators have to win.

Please feel free to comment and share your opinions or experiences.