Cold Equations

If I were Barton I would have not been so swayed by the fact that the stowaway was an "innocent" girl. Just because it was a girl doesn't mean anything. Sure she was innocent, but ignorance is never an excuse. When you do not know anything about the territory in which you are about to travel, you research. The reason you research is to prevent any stupid mistakes that could easily be avoided. Because Marilyn was a girl who obviously had little sense, her loss would be even less of a tragedy. Barton should have understood this but chose to let his emotions get in the way of common sense.

By letting the girl contact her brother and stay for a few hours she got some peace and a closing on her short life. Yet, by allowing her to do this he cause himself more pain than was necessary. He should have jettisoned her immediately, instead of becoming attached to her. Common sense also dictates that the serum that could save 6 people who are doing important work has more value than one girl who has done nothing with her life. He might feel regret, but it would be better than being broken, as he was in the end.


1 Symbol - all the important items are white, white door to airlock, white hand on gauge
1 Allusion - the golden fleece is an allusion to Greek mythology
2 Foreshadows - "if he comes back in time" & that he was talking about how every stowaway must be             jettisoned
Favorite Line - It was a cold equation.