The Morality of Vicious by Madeline

The Morality of Vicious by Madeline - October 2020 Scholarship Essay

Vicious is an adult science fiction novel by V.E. Schwab, published in 2013. This has been my favorite book that I have read this year because it contains topics and problems that can relate to the world and furthermore humanity. The novel is about two college students, Eli Ever and Victor Vale, who are intrigued by the link between near-death experiences and the possibility of extraordinary abilities. After subjecting themselves to a successful experiment that allows them to gain these abilities, they become archenemies; Eli believes he is destined by God to rid the world of everyone with these abilities and Victor wants to stop Eli by any means possible- meaning Victor is willing to eliminate anyone who isn’t useful to him in this task.

I chose this novel to be my favorite because the vision of the world that is presented in it is an odd one. Though meaning to be the protagonist, some read Victor as morally gray and some read him as evil with good intentions. It presents the notion that there is an area between what is considered to be traditionally good and bad. Humans like to label things clearly, putting them into neat boxes even though most things are never so cut and dry. Looking through the author’s lens into the world of Vicious has prompted many questions for me to consider. What is it that defines the concepts of good and evil? In an earlier time, it used to be the Bible. Now, with different religious views, is it an individual’s morals? What determines right or wrong regarding morals? Are morals subjective to the individual?

One particular section of the novel brings to light the fact that after gaining these extraordinary abilities, Eli and Victor have, in their words, “lost their humanity.” One interpretation of this means their decisions are based solely on logic instead of being affected by emotion, but Victor is still partially influenced by how he feels. In order to discuss whether he is in the category of good or evil, one must first define humanity. Humanity is to be kind and loving towards all things; To make conscious, intelligent decisions. Without humanity, can you be good? Can animals still be good without technically having humanity? Vicious presents a series of challenges that can be directly applied to the real world, forcing you to alter your own perception of it.

Schwab’s brilliant ability in writing has allowed me to truly consider the multi-dimensional world that we are living in, making it a novel that stood out to me among the rest I have read this year. Not many things can be considered in black and white, and not many choose to ponder what lies in the gray section. Many of the questions I mentioned in this essay can never truly be answered as most of them are subjective at their core. With what I have gained from reading Vicious, I am able to make better calculated decisions and have a more thorough contemplation regarding morals and ethics. It has allowed me to consider the multiple perspectives of a story and weigh what I believe is most important to my morals.