Many people that suffer with depression tend to have a gloomy lifestyle and try to find ways to brighten their day. However, in Nickel Mountain by John Gardner, Henry Soames cannot live a happy lifestyle because of his lack of communication skills with the outside world. In the novel, John Gardner characterizes Henry Soames as depressed yet hopeful for a time when his depression will vacate his mind and body. At the same time that he is trying to overcome his depression, he tries to contain the savage animal within from making him hurt the people around him. John Gardner demonstrates Henry’s depression through figurative language, setting, and zoomorphism.
Gardner describes Henry as depressed while at the same time trying to control the …show more content…
John Gardner uses examples such as bears and a snake to show how he is becoming a wild animal. All the animals that Garner puts in his writing are known to be dangerous to humans. Henry feels as if he is becoming a danger to himself and society because of his depression caused by his heart problem. “Looking at his huge, hairy-backed hands”, and “rubbing his eyes like a bear” all contribute to Henry becoming a dangerous wild animal. “Looking at his huge, hairy-backed hands” implies that Henry is turning into a bear and “rubbing his eyes like a bear” could reference his realization that he is starting to see through an animal's eyes and understands that his snapping at Kuzitski was uncalled for and inhuman. The author also points out that Kuzitski believes that Henry is a wildcard by stating, “Henry would begin to pace then, still talking. It seemed to make Mr. Kuzitski uneasy, but Henry had to do it nevertheless” (Gardner 5). Kuzitski believes that at one point, Henry will snap at him because of Henry’s own unpredictability. In the Bible, the snake that eventually leads to Adam and Eve’s downfall is “Hissing at him like a snake” (Gardner 6). Henry is listening to the snake right before he finally snaps at Kuzitski and his internal compass tips and he lets loose the animal from within. The snake also showed that what Henry was saying was completely evil and terrifying. “Would recoil from Henry’s grasp” (Gardner 6) shows that Kuzitski was scared of Henry and what he had become when the animal and depression had finally taken
Gardner describes Henry as depressed while at the same time trying to control the …show more content…
John Gardner uses examples such as bears and a snake to show how he is becoming a wild animal. All the animals that Garner puts in his writing are known to be dangerous to humans. Henry feels as if he is becoming a danger to himself and society because of his depression caused by his heart problem. “Looking at his huge, hairy-backed hands”, and “rubbing his eyes like a bear” all contribute to Henry becoming a dangerous wild animal. “Looking at his huge, hairy-backed hands” implies that Henry is turning into a bear and “rubbing his eyes like a bear” could reference his realization that he is starting to see through an animal's eyes and understands that his snapping at Kuzitski was uncalled for and inhuman. The author also points out that Kuzitski believes that Henry is a wildcard by stating, “Henry would begin to pace then, still talking. It seemed to make Mr. Kuzitski uneasy, but Henry had to do it nevertheless” (Gardner 5). Kuzitski believes that at one point, Henry will snap at him because of Henry’s own unpredictability. In the Bible, the snake that eventually leads to Adam and Eve’s downfall is “Hissing at him like a snake” (Gardner 6). Henry is listening to the snake right before he finally snaps at Kuzitski and his internal compass tips and he lets loose the animal from within. The snake also showed that what Henry was saying was completely evil and terrifying. “Would recoil from Henry’s grasp” (Gardner 6) shows that Kuzitski was scared of Henry and what he had become when the animal and depression had finally taken