Varmints

Who?

The protagonist is the innocent-looking creature. He seems to have such a sweet, pure soul, which is very contradictory to the title, Varmints. 

What is happening?

The story begins with the protagonist strolling around in a peaceful, undisturbed world. Soon, it turns into a dark, unsettling place where the animals look physically and mentally malnourished. Their life is becoming a routine, and the look on their faces tells us how drained they are feeling.

When?

The story seems to be a representation of the current situation in our society. 

Where?

Though I have previously mentioned that the story is the metaphor of the current world, the location looks too futuristic to be so. Thus, it can be said that it is set in an alternative universe.

Why is this happening?

Because humans are self centered. We seek wealth, fame, and ignore the actual beauty that has been sitting, waiting to be noticed. We are quick to jump to conclusions, and all the ignorance lead us to the ugly society we live in.

How does it end?

After the creature lands on the jellyfish-looking space, the story ends in a way that makes the audience believe that all is well. Yet, that sounds too good to be true. The dark, grey world still exists somewhere out there, and it will be ignorant of us to believe that that world is long gone. It is a representation of how humans like to ignore the filthy side of things, and only bring the spotlight to the glamorous side of life.

What is the theme?

Creativity and beauty is what keeps a man alive. Throughout the story, the protagonist made sure to keep the plant alive. His life depended on this plant, and it was what kept him happy. Towards the end, we can see that the plant gets taken away from him. In this moment, the creature himself also starts to rot, his fur smeared in dirt, eyes watering. The plant's death proved how it was the only thing that kept him sane, and its disappearance made him look just as depressed as everybody else. This particular scene reminded me of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. I have never read this book, yet it was introduced to me by one of our classmates during the book report discussion. It sounds very much like the ending of the novel, where the young beautiful man turns into an old man with a dirty heart.