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In Bird Box, why are all people not affected in the same fashion?

Malorie and Olympia are pregnant hence not affected at first.

There are some people driving without blindfolds, looking for children.

What does the plot have to do with children?

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    The 'entity' seems to move around. I saw it that it was on the move, and people would be lucky enough not to see it until it came back later
    – Longshanks
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 8:51

2 Answers 2

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There are only two kind of people in BirdBox

  1. Normal people who look at the entity, go insane and kill themselves
  2. Insane people who look at the entity, embrace it and live

Regarding next part of your question -

A. There is no indication anywhere that pregnant women are not affected.

Malorie is not affected in the hospital in the beginning is most likely that the entity was nowhere nearby when she looks at the affected woman in orange. Shes also not affected in the car when the accident happens because she was looking for something in the back seat. Post accident the entity might not have been nearby.

Olympia is not affected when she comes to Malorie's hideout because she has a eye mask.

Both Malorie and Olympia were not exempted. Had they been an exception, they would have escaped long back unaffected and would have saved the people with them as well.

"There are some people driving without blindfolds, looking for children." - I'm sorry I don't recollect this and anyone who remembers this can let me know.

B. There is no indication that children are not affected

Malorie closes her baby's eyes post birth and later the eyes of both babies to prevent them from being affected by the entity. Through out the film, she closes the kids eyes in the river journey which clearly indicates that kids are no exception.

So the plot has no inclination towards children or pregnant women

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    Nitpick: I'm not sure that those who survive seeing the entity are necessarily insane (before seeing it), nor embrace it afterwards. I viewed it as a different reaction. Seeing the entity still drove them quite crazy, but not to suicide: rather it made them single-mindedly focused on getting other people to see it to.
    – conman
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 15:31
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    I always wondered if perhaps some of these were people who saw the entity but, for whatever reason, failed to commit suicide. Perhaps after the initial "shock" wears off they lose the desire for suicide but their mind still "breaks", leaving them with a very strong impulse to "share" the experience.
    – conman
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 15:32
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    @conman, I think you're forgetting that the first "evil" character in the grocery store is called "a bit crazy" by the guy that knew him, and later there is a group of "evils" that were patients at a psychiatric hospital. I think it's clear in the movie that they are linking "crazy" people to the "evil" reaction. It's not something these answers are making up. There's several articles online that criticize the movie for the explicit link between crazy people and becoming evil agents of the entity.
    – JPhi1618
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 15:45
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    I wouldn't necessarily say that closing the kids' eyes during the river journey is a clear indication that kids are no exception. I think it's just a precaution because there is no reason at all for her (or us) to believe they'd be affected any differently (and I'm not suggesting they would be). From what I recall, we don't see any children going crazy or committing suicide - which is probably a good thing...
    – Broots Waymb
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 16:00
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    @JPhi1618 The group of "evils" that were patients at a psychiatric hospital were never actually seen but were reported to be crazy by a character who was later discovered to be one of the crazy ones himself, and lying about his origins. As a result, I think it is hard to conclude why some people survive and only go crazy. Sure, a cursory viewing of the movie can leave the impression that already "crazy" people don't commit suicide, but I don't think the movie actually explains their origins, nor do I think we are supposed to know the origins of these crazies.
    – conman
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 16:59
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Although this is mostly Anu7’s answer. I just wanted to share my observation.

There are 2 reactions when seeing the entity.

  1. Normal people goes crazy and kills themselves.
  2. Crazy people actually seems to understand the entity, hence they go around trying to force others to see the “beauty”.

I guess normal people can’t comprehend the craziness they see through the entity. Which is why they decide to off themselves.

As for the kids, children or being pregnant. You’d think there was a connection because why would they put 2 pregnant characters together. When you see Olympia the first time you’ll most likely get the idea that there is a connection because shes also pregnant. But if you really watch it, there is really no connection. Just coincidence maybe? Or the writers just playing with our minds? Giving us ideas.

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  • Similar nitpick - I don't see any reason to describe them as "understanding" the entity. I think they are just as crazy as the ones who kill themselves, they just respond differently for reasons unknown to us.
    – conman
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 15:33
  • I'd like to add that not everyone sees an "entity" as if it's some monstrous thing. The woman who left the house to help Malorie was talking as if she saw her dead mother.
    – Logarr
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 22:41

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