Dylan and Eric wrote detailed murder plans in each other's yearbook, knowing that "his friend could have him imprisoned at any time, even if they fell both together. Mutually assured destruction” (258). In the Cold War era, an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union meant a large arsenal of atomic weapons on both sides. Launching an attack on the opposing side meant immediate and guaranteed retaliation. Both sides would be irrevocably damaged: mutually assured destruction. Likewise, a boy who chooses to show his yearbook to others would soon reveal his secret. The choice to indirectly refer to the Cold War evokes unpleasant emotions in readers. The Cold War was a period of history full of fear, as were the aftermath of the Columbine shooting. The sympathy readers feel for those affected by the Cold War carries over to those affected by the shooting, like Cullen