Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival

“I envied Simon his carefree take-it-as-it-comes attitude. He had the force to take what was his for the taking, and the freedom of spirit to enjoy it without grumbling worries and doubts. He laughed more often than he grimaced, grinning at his own misfortune as readily as he did at other people’s.”

Simpson depicts Yates as his foil by listing Yates’s enviable qualities. Although both are ambitious young mountaineers, Simpson suggests that Yates was more cheerful and straightforward in his “carefree take-it as-it-comes attitude.” The comparison implies that Simpson, by contrast, is a more troubled personality, susceptible to “worries and doubts.” Simpson’s positive depiction of his climbing partner attempts to redress the public perception of Yates as the story’s antagonist.

“For the first time in my life I knew what it meant to be isolated from people and society. It was wonderfully calming and tranquil to be here.”

Early in the narrative, Simpson describes the Peruvian landscape as an isolated and beautiful retreat from the world. Viewing the awe-inspiring Andes from base camp, he perceived his environment as therapeutic, underscoring The Relationship Between Humans and Nature as a theme. Simpson’s depiction of the landscape as a benign oasis is ironic given his later battle for survival in the unforgiving terrain.

“We had responsibilities to no one but ourselves now, and there would be no one to intrude or come to our rescue.”

Simpson initially compares Siula Grande favorably to his climbing experience in the Alps. He viewed the European mountain range as overcrowded with other climbers and felt that the sound of rescue helicopters there disrupted the peaceful atmosphere. Again, his early positive assessment of the Andes proves ironic as he describes how he was initially grateful for the remote location and the lack of the intrusive presence of other people.