They Both Die at the End

In life, we are constantly meeting and parting with different people. The novel, They Both Die at the End, describes the meeting and parting of Rufus and Mateo.

Receiving their Death Cast on the same day, Rufus and Mateo have become Deckers, people destined to die within the next twenty-four hours. Like most people, Mateo panicked at the call that heralded his death. Shutting himself in his apartment, he tried to escape from the imminent doom. On the other hand, Rufus gathered his friends for a “funeral,” where he enjoyed some last moments with his friends. Twists and turns brought the two strangers to meet online and become last friends. On their final mile, they supported, accompanied, and changed each other.

As the story unfolds, we see how the characters faced death and how their values clashed. While Rufus was adventurous and open-minded from the start, Mateo seemed reserved and had little courage. At first, Rufus tried to drag Mateo out of his comfort zone, and Mateo, hesitant and reluctant to change, refused to accept or tell others about his identity as a Decker. Yet things started to change after Mateo visited his loved ones. He became more comfortable with his situation, and the two friends gradually opened up to each other. Understanding each other deeper and facing several narrow escapes from death together, they went seeking risk-free stimulations at a virtual reality center. Finally, the “family” of Mateo and Rufus joined forces with them. Meeting their loved ones for one last time, they returned to Mateo’s apartment, where they started and will end.

The friendship between Mateo and Rufus is indeed touching; however, “Vulnerable” is the word I would use to describe the story in They Both Die at the End. Civilians in the novel are subjected to intimidation from the Death Cast and live in an unstable society. To begin with, I believe the Death Cast is intended to allow people to plan their last day and have a chance to say goodbye, but the reality is that not many people can keep their heads when facing death, neither can those around them. In this case, most people will be doomed by the foreboding thought of death and probably unable to part with their loved ones anymore peacefully than without the Death Cast.

Furthermore, even if one manages to form a relationship with someone else and share joyful memories as Mateo and Rufus did, the inevitable separation when death arrives and the grief that comes with it is simply overwhelming. The happy memories and affection that had built up bit by bit during the last day becomes the greatest pain for Rufus when Mateo’s expected yet unexpected death arrives.

These gloomy emotions are not limited to Deckers and their families. Diffused into the atmosphere, hopelessness and anguish weighs down on people in the community and make them stressed. In the novel, Deirdre Clayton, an employee at the virtual reality center, attempted to commit suicide multiple times due to her frequent contact with Deckers, which led her mental self to undergo immense pressure. Her behavior manifests how the Death Cast makes society vulnerable as a whole.

While we often think about our future, we seldom care for our end. The book indeed opens up the issue of whether people will be able to face death with serenity if death were foretold, and invites readers to ponder over their demise.