Thornton And The Wind

Question And Answer, CHAPTER XII.

This chapter begins with dialogue between von Osten and Thornton. The former speaks first but, to our surprise, we learn at the top of the third page that Thornton is the viewpoint character:

"Thornton rubbed his chin;..." (p. 89)

- so far, that is merely an objective description of Thornton but then:

"...the unshaven bristles felt scratchy." (pp. 89-90)

We are being told what Thornton feels. He is our viewpoint character for this chapter.

Having presented Thornton as an unpleasant sectarian as seen by others in CHAPTER II, Anderson now gives us a sympathetic treatment of Thornton's point of view. Trapped in a pothole, he kneels and prays but does not ask for help because that is God's will. Later, he cannot pray, feels cursed and forgotten. Later again, maybe God has tired of man and the aliens, the Rorvan, are his new chosen people? - as Djana imagines about the Merseians in A Circus Of Hells. Finally:

"'Thy will be done.'" (p. 97)

The main enemy in the pothole is cold and, of course, Thornton and von Osten:

"...could hear the thin cold harrying of the wind up around the edge of the hole." (p. 95)

When the Rorvan arrive and look down into the pit:

"Wind ruffled their fur, but their masked faces were utterly impassive and they said nothing." (p. 97)

Scary.