Their faces were absolutely similar in a detail: they seemed extremely incomplete, such as paintings with holes by eyes or as a puzzle who failed a nimia piece. And that was missing, Richards thought, it was the air of despair. In their stomachs they did not howl the wolves. His minds were not full of vitiated dreams, of foolish hopes.
In Richard Bachman's "The Running Man," the characters share a striking similarity in their expressions, which convey a profound sense of incompleteness. They resemble flawed artworks or jigsaw puzzles missing key pieces, suggesting a lack of fulfillment or wholeness in their lives. This imagery reflects their unresolved struggles and the void within them.
Richards observes that what these individuals lack is a palpable sense of despair. Instead of being tormented by chaotic thoughts or unrealistic aspirations, their minds are free from the burdens of false hopes and misguided ambitions. This absence of dreams and desires implies a stark, haunting reality for the characters, highlighting their existential plight.