On August 5th, Walton describes picking up this stranger on the ice, and by the end of the very same letter, he says that he "begin[s] to love [the man] as a brother [...]." Moreover, his next letter is dated just eight days later, on the 13th, and Walton says that he is "like a celestial spirit, that has a halo around him [...]." This stranger begins to sound almost like a god, or at...
On August 5th, Walton describes picking up this stranger on the ice, and by the end of the very same letter, he says that he "begin[s] to love [the man] as a brother [...]." Moreover, his next letter is dated just eight days later, on the 13th, and Walton says that he is "like a celestial spirit, that has a halo around him [...]." This stranger begins to sound almost like a god, or at least some sort of divine entity that is elevated above the merely human. The praise, at this point, does not seem entirely justified. So far, Walton has only said that the stranger's "whole countenance is lighted up [...] with a beam of benevolence and sweetness" whenever anyone performs even the smallest kindness or service for him, but it doesn't take a lot to be grateful when people are kind. Walton says a great deal more about the fact that the stranger often seems "overcome by gloom" and that his "dejection never leaves him." Thus far, then, the stranger seems to be a pretty depressed guy who is yet capable of gratitude when someone is kind to him, but he hardly seems like a divine being.
No comments:
Post a Comment