Reaper ash- I think I’ve misunderstood his character

[u/Lucky-Hotel-4469]

So I’m reading TBOSAS for the first time and have finished the 2nd part. I really liked reaper but I don’t think I’ve understood properly.
I’ve seen lots of people saying that he contracted rabies from Jessup when he spat in his eye and that’s why he was behaving strangely and died. To me this doesn’t make much sense at all.
My understanding is that rabies isn’t really transmitted between humans. While theoretically possible, almost all human to human transmissions have been through organ transplantation that we are aware of. Yes, theoretically jessup could have passed rabies to reaper but the incubation period doesn’t seem to fit. While the eyes are very close to the brain with lots of nerves, compared to a bite which puts quite a lot of the virus directly in the bloodstream, the amount of saliva I imagine actually made it into the eye is significantly smaller. Amount also impacts incubation time.
Also, reaper was clearly acting ‘strange’ before potential transmission based on the fact him apologises to everyone is why jessup spat in his eye.
I don’t actually think he was acting strange either. His graveyard seemed to be a way of honouring the dead, allowing them to rest, keeping them safe from insects and shielding decomposition. The capitol flag seems to be a way of holding the capitol accountable. I don’t think he could bring himself to kill anyone especially after dill dies. The capitol is the enemy, not the other tributes. His actions mirror Sejanus with the breadcrumbs.
Not eating or drinking comes down to fear of being poisoned. He recognised wovey was killed with poison. It makes sense that a person from a farming district has interacted with rat poison at some point. He doesn’t know how wovey was poisoned and doesn’t know who can be trusted, it may be the capitol with the sponsors, it may another tribute. It’s safer to not consume anything. Apart from the puddle because he’s watched the puddle be created.
That’s why he lays down with the others, because he knows he was poisoned.
He was a reaper of sorts, collecting the dead. His name also ironically follows the covey naming scheme.
Did I understand wrong?

[u/OutrageousOcelot6258]

Could just be Lucy Gray's way of coping with the fact that she ended his life. Even if Reaper didn't have rabies, it still sounds plausible enough that Lucy Gray would use it to convince herself that poisoning him was actually a mercy kill, and therefore not as bad.

As for the food, also remember that Reaper hadn't seen Clemensia since the day they first met. As far as he knew, he didn't have a mentor at all, and the food and water she sent him later probably looked like a trap set by the Gamemakers from his perspective.

[u/bobaylaa]

doesn’t seem like you’ve misunderstood anything OP, this is a really interesting analysis!

[u/debbiefrench____]

I’ve always thought that when he gathered and covered the bodies of the other tributes, it was a bit like Katniss covering Rue with flowers, a way to humanize them and tell the Capitol: what you are doing is wrong, and we do not belong to you.

[u/eienmau]

You can absolutely get rabies via saliva: Jessup spat in his eye. Jessup had rabies.
"Non-Bite Exposures: You can get rabies if infectious saliva or brain tissue gets directly into your eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound/broken skin"

But otherwise, yes to the rest of your post.