31 pages • 1 hour read
Deathwatch
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Themes
The Limits of Objectivity and Subjectivity in Obtaining Truth
Deathwatch portrays the complex relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in obtaining truth. The use of the third person limited point of view is a major component of this portrayal. The third person point of view conveys objectivity in so far as it is removed from being a personal account of events. However, third person limited is subjective in that it is a full account of only one character’s thoughts and feelings. This creates tension between objectivity and subjectivity in the narration of the story and is most directly evident in the discovery of Ben’s bad temper.
The events of the story more directly illustrate the complex relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in obtaining truth. While Madec exploits subjectivity to satisfy his deceptive and self-protective motives, Ben rightly or wrongly believes his subjective experience is the objective truth. The matter is further complicated when law enforcement, the legal system, and a family member—all of whom bring their own subjective experiences to bear—must interpret Madec and Ben’s versions of events. Madec succinctly introduces this complexity:
You see, if we take this old man in to town there’s going to be a trial. And it could just possibly be that the people involved might be a little prejudiced. Even a little envious because I’m better off than they are. A jury chosen from people in a little isolated desert town are naturally going to be biased against a man like me (32).
Similarly, when Ben is finally exonerated, the justice of the peace explains, “Ben, you see, it was just so hard for me to believe that any man could do the things he did to another man. I just couldn’t believe it, Ben” (220). This quote recalls Ben’s own denial, as he fully believed Madec would come to his senses on his first day in the desert.
By pushing objectivity and subjectivity to their limits in the narrative, White conveys the vulnerabilities in the conventional means of seeking truth. One person’s version of events is subject to another person’s interpretation of that version of events, and there are numerous opportunities for crossed wires along the way.
Loss of Hope’s Role in Coming of Age and Survival
Ben’s survival is enabled by his feelings of hope as well as his acceptance of reality. His feelings of hope get him over his initial shock and fear, but as he continues to find evidence that he is not going to be okay if he does not take action to change things, he comes to accept that his hopes were unfounded. Once he is unburdened of his hopes and accepts reality, he is able to make a successful plan for how he will move forward.
Hope, loss of hope, and acceptance push the narrative forward throughout the story and reveal Ben’s character development. As Ben sets out alone in the desert, he “could not rid himself of the hope that Madec would change his mind. To make the hope real he realized now that he must give Madec time to think, time to reconsider.” (44). This hope sends Ben off to find water and simply wait for Madec to change his mind. The only thinking Madec appears to do, however, is that which centers on keeping Ben from finding anything in the desert that might help him survive longer, so Ben’s hope inhibits his progress.
Ben loses hope that Madec will change his mind after Madec makes it clear that he has no qualms about purposefully shooting Ben: “Ben admitted to himself that Madec, as intelligent as he was, was too vain to give up. Vain and conceited and sure of himself, sure that he could convince the authorities that Ben had killed a man” (66). Ben continues to lose hope and accept the reality of his situation as Madec destroys Ben’s chances at finding water and shoots Ben in the arm. Faced with the reality of his wounds and general bad health in the tunnel on the butte, Ben’s acceptance of his situation allows him to abandon the hope of a peaceful resolution and devise a plan that will get him to safety. Rather than trying to avoid provoking Madec, Ben now knows that he must confront him face to face as the aggressor. This puts Ben in an active role and drives the end of their physical struggle and it begins Ben’s journey toward adulthood. Notably, Ben recalls childhood comfort while in the tunnel, which suggests that his emergence as he plans to confront Madec is the turning point in his growth.
As the rhetorical struggle unfolds, Ben’s hope to find familiar faces at the sheriff’s office and hospital are dashed, and every opportunity for law enforcement, the legal system, and family members to see things Ben’s way is missed. Ben lets go of his hope and accepts reality, with the narrator explaining, “There was no use trying to convince them, Ben decided. He had to prove it to them” (198). The dialogue becomes increasingly argumentative, with Ben correcting the interpretation of events as the justice of the peace describes them. Through his interjections, Ben ensures that the facts come to light. Ben assuming an active role that is only possible with his abandonment of hope and reliance on adults that drives the end of the rhetorical struggle.
The Roles of Experience and Adaptability in Overcoming Obstacles
Ben consistently relies on a mix of his past experiences and his receptiveness to learning new things to overcome the obstacles he faces. His knowledge of the effects of dehydration make him aware of how much time he has left before he must find water, and his willingness to learn new things allows him to develop strategies for forcing his body to move, despite his weakness. His experience in the desert provides him with a geographical knowledge of his possible routes for escape, and his willingness to learn new things allows him to anticipate Madec’s moves in thwarting his escape. His experience with rifles provides him with an understanding of projectile weapons, and his willingness to learn new things gives him the ability to learn how to use the slingshot.
White also develops this theme through the conflict between youth/inexperience and age/experience that runs throughout the story. Most directly, Ben represents youth and Madec represents age. Ben’s youth/inexperience places him at a disadvantage in terms of experience and knowledge, but it places him at an advantage in terms of his ability to learn. Madec’s age/experience gives him an advantage when it comes to knowing how things work, but it also means that he is less often challenged to learn new things since he already knows so much. The reason Ben is able to catch Madec in a vulnerable position is that Madec does not anticipate Ben’s moves as well as Ben anticipates Madec’s moves. With his age/experience, Madec has come to paint people in broad strokes and is unable to see past his assumptions, as we see in his condescending remarks about Ben at the beginning of the story. In addition to underestimating Ben’s abilities, Madec is also unable to see the possibility that the young doctor will figure out his deception.
Yet Madec’s age/experience provides him with enough to be a formidable opponent. He is able to anticipate Ben’s moves at the beginning of their physical struggle, even if he is blind to the possibility that Ben will adapt. He is able to craft his version of events in a way that law enforcement and the legal system will largely not question based on his experience with these institutions. Madec tells Ben, “I can see that you’ve never been involved with the police. As a witness to this thing, you’re involved now and, believe me, they can drag it out for weeks, for months!” (27). His age/experience also allows him to select Ben as a guide based on his vulnerabilities. Madec explains, “I asked about you before I hired you. Nice kid, hard working, wants to be a geologist. No parents. No wife. Lots of girls but no real girl friend” (40). With this line, it is clear that Madec assumes someone with these vulnerabilities will easily be pushed around. His assumption seals his undoing.
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