The novel repeatedly focuses on the value of life by asking which lives matter. On this subject, Janina stands in opposition to the traditional values of her culture. Most people don’t consider the source of the meat they eat and that an animal was slaughtered to provide it. They don’t think about the fur coats that keep them warm or the animals that suffer in cages before being skinned. Even pet animals like dogs or cats become prey if they stray onto a hunter’s property.

The powers that be in Janina’s little village favor human life over all other species. In addition, they have allied themselves with one another to reinforce the notion of human dominance by engaging in the practice of sport hunting. The commandant represents the power of the law. Innerd represents the power of wealth. The president represents the power of politics, and Father Rustle represents the power of the church. Each man benefits in some way from conspiring with the rest. To them, value is reckoned in personal benefit. An animal may be valuable for its fur or its meat, but its life has no intrinsic worth other than what can be extracted for human use.