They Twinkled Like Jewels

"They Twinkled Like Jewels" by Philip José Farmer is a science fiction story that takes place in a bleak future, where many people are homeless and struggling with mental health, raising the issues of survival and searching for who you are when the government is trying to control everything. The story looks into the difficult lives of people who the system thinks are crazy or not important to society. The main character, Jack Crane, is in danger when he's caught by the government, who want to fix the homeless and mentally ill. While being taken to a camp, Jack thinks about his life as someone who moves around a lot. During his captivity, stranger characters pull him into a confusing situation of mind tricks and losing hope. Jack has to face what is real and deal with the sad effects of what he has been chasing, along with the strange power of rose-tinted glasses which shows the truth of his mind. The end of the story leaves you thinking about how complicated people's wants can be and the lowest points of sadness in a world where there is little hope.