And then Big Jim's eyeball fell out. Like, fell the fuck out of his head.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This incident is the catalyst that starts S.T. the crow, who is the primary narrator in the novel, on his journey to discover what has caused the decline of humanity. The matter-of-fact way that S.T. describes the loss of Big Jim’s eyeball is humorous, in sharp contrast to the deep tragedy of the event. S.T. continues, “It rolled onto the grass, and to be honest, Big Jim and I were both taken aback.” (1). When Big Jim loses that eyeball, he also loses his humanity and all concern for his beloved pet companions, S.T. the crow and Dennis the bloodhound. Big Jim, along with all other humans, has been infected with a virus that attacks through screens and connectivity. Humans develop elongated necks and humped backs, they lose interest in their...