Outside

        They made it outside and I was expecting all their problems to be solved, but I guess since the escape happened only halfway through the book I should have known that wouldn't be the case. While I'm immensely relieved that they are out of Room and away from the immediate danger of Old Nick, the process of adjusting to the new world still seems like a pretty grueling and unpleasant task, especially for Jack who thought he was done being the hero. I thought the interaction between Ma and Jack right after Ma is rescued is quite sad and reflective of the problems Jack is going to face from now on: Ma tells him "we're never going back" and Jack starts "crying so much [he] can't stop." As a reader able to pick up on the cruelty of their situation and the abuse of Ma and poor health of Jack, it is almost incomprehensible to us that Jack would rather be in Room than outside. Yet from what we've seen of Jack's character and daily life inside Room, I guess it isn't hard to understand that playing games all day with 1 person who loves you would feel more comforting than suddenly being surrounded by strangers and having entirely new possessions and getting shots and medications all day. It's clear from the little bit we've read of Jack in the hospital, that the book can't end yet because Jack is still far from okay and in fact seems to be in a much less healthy emotional and mental state than he was when we first met him, as an optimistic little kid playing around. He's also having trouble with his depth perception, his walking, and separation anxiety with Ma. I thought the scene where Ma tries to take a shower was especially representative of how scary this all is for Jack.
        This "After" section is also the part where I think it's even more important that Jack is narrating instead of Ma, because Jack gives us this chaotic and overwhelming view of the outside that's intriguing to me because I have no way of really understanding what it must be like for him, and neither does Ma really. Whereas Ma is much easier for us to understand and hers is the more normal reaction and recovery we would expect. Ma doesn't even pick up on all the things that are stressing Jack out, and hearing from Jack instead gives us a really different twist on how "heroic" this escape has really been. Can you call it a hero's journey if the hero regrets their actions and is more miserable than before? I know Jack is relieved to be free from Old Nick, but I think it's clear he misses parts of Room and doesn't quite understand the full benefits of being outside yet. Perhaps Jack's heroism is more in his choosing to act to save Ma instead of only thinking of his own wishes. I think that Jack will improve over the course of the book, but for now it is certainly upsetting to see how lost Jack feels in this outside world that doesn't seem real to him.