The Injustice In Brian Caswell's A Cage Of Butterflies

It is just not right

“Who got crucified and made you God? You maniac” (Caswell, 1992, p. 149). This quote is at the heart of A Cage of Butterflies, a novel written by Brian Caswell. It makes people think about what is happening in the book to make someone explode like this. The novel is Caswell’s opinion on scientific research performed on humans is clearly displayed. Caswell is very clear with his opinions about the injustices that occur and because Larsen, the antagonist, is the major cause of most of the injustices, a heroine emerges, Susan Grace, a defender of the children. Susan’s involvement is essential to the story because without her Larsen would have continued to exploit the children’s wellbeing and only focus on the fame and fortune of his research. Caswell’s major points that he is trying to make about human injustice are at the forefront of this book.

One example is shown in an argument between Larsen and Susan, “I won’t let you do it! Is your bloody career so important that you’d risk their lives?” Larsen replies with, “...This is my project. They’re my subjects…” (Caswell, 1992, p. 149). Larsen was treating the Babies quite inhumanely. His “treatment” was to dose them with Sodium Pentothal and observe and question them in their relaxed and truthful state. This experiment is considered cruel because Larsen drugged them against their will. In most cases consent would have to be given by the parents but because Larsen had taken them away from the parents he could do whatever he wanted to figure out their secrets, even going to the point of harm. The wrong doings of scientific research is at the heart of this novel, all the major plot points revolve around the fact that it is all an experiment to start with. Larsen’s inhumane treatment of the children is exactly the point Caswell is trying to get across to his