Sexuality and power are also main themes in "The Eyes" a story that “unites horror of male oppression and sadism with distaste for homosexuality” (Gardner Smith 97). In it, in addition, Wharton explores the fears created by one's conscience and guilt thanks to a presence that “resides in the evanescent realm of the fantastic as Todorovod defines it” (Garnder Smith 94).
An anonymous narrator narrates a gathering of gentlemen in Andrew Culwin's house in which they all tell ghost stories. The host is the last one telling his story, a personal story of two ghosts he has seen, a story he tells to the narrator and his disciple Philip Frenham. Culwin is an uncomfortable being, partly despicable for his own contempt towards the rest of the world, …show more content…
However, the very same night they get engaged, Culwin sees at night a pair of terrible eyes staring at him, a pair of eyes that “seemed to belong to a man who had done a lot of harm” (Wharton 817). Horrified he runs away to Europe, abandoning Alice, from whom he receives a letter, years later, asking him to take care of her cousin, Gilbert Noyes who wants to become a writer. Culwin convinces himself of accepting Noyes as his protégé to correct his behavior with Alice, but not selflessly: “ had always wanted to do her some service, to justify myself in my own eyes rather than hers; and here he was a beautiful occasion” (Wharton 820). He takes the young boy under his protection and advise because it can be of use for him as Culwin —who has homosexual inclinations — delights himself with the presence of the handsome and charming aspiring writer. Culwin soon realizes that Noyes has no talent to become a writer, but instead of giving him advice, he encourages him to continue writing with the only objective of maintaining him by his side, of enjoying his company. The constant lies he tells Noyes to keep him with him make the terrible eyes he saw back in America when he got engaged to Alice reappear. This time the …show more content…
The eyes that are “a compelling projection of the slightly decadent atmosphere surrounding Culwin and a comment on his continuing moral occlusion: his inability to realize that non-involvement in human relationships represents, in reality, the most despicable kind of involvement” (McDowell 137) disappear when Noyes leaves. Culwin never gets to realize the connection between the eyes and his despicable behavior: “Put two and two together if you can. For my part, I haven’t found the link” (Wharton 828). The first time he sees the eyes he “refused to accept the frightening truth of his nature: first, his arrogance prevented him from admitting his own flaws” (Marvulli 45) and he never connects his mistreatment towards Noyes with them. Nevertheless, this is about to change in the end of the story, because Frenham is able to see the truth in the story told, in fact, “Freham, who parallels Gilbert Noyes in his dependence on Culwin’s encouragement and advice (…) has discerned the truth of [Culwin’s] corruption. At last, Culwin looks into the mirror and recognizes the lurid countenance with its horrible eyes as his own” (McDowell 137). Culwin’s hidden and rejected guilt has been prosecuting and haunting him without him learning from his mistakes, until the very last
An anonymous narrator narrates a gathering of gentlemen in Andrew Culwin's house in which they all tell ghost stories. The host is the last one telling his story, a personal story of two ghosts he has seen, a story he tells to the narrator and his disciple Philip Frenham. Culwin is an uncomfortable being, partly despicable for his own contempt towards the rest of the world, …show more content…
However, the very same night they get engaged, Culwin sees at night a pair of terrible eyes staring at him, a pair of eyes that “seemed to belong to a man who had done a lot of harm” (Wharton 817). Horrified he runs away to Europe, abandoning Alice, from whom he receives a letter, years later, asking him to take care of her cousin, Gilbert Noyes who wants to become a writer. Culwin convinces himself of accepting Noyes as his protégé to correct his behavior with Alice, but not selflessly: “ had always wanted to do her some service, to justify myself in my own eyes rather than hers; and here he was a beautiful occasion” (Wharton 820). He takes the young boy under his protection and advise because it can be of use for him as Culwin —who has homosexual inclinations — delights himself with the presence of the handsome and charming aspiring writer. Culwin soon realizes that Noyes has no talent to become a writer, but instead of giving him advice, he encourages him to continue writing with the only objective of maintaining him by his side, of enjoying his company. The constant lies he tells Noyes to keep him with him make the terrible eyes he saw back in America when he got engaged to Alice reappear. This time the …show more content…
The eyes that are “a compelling projection of the slightly decadent atmosphere surrounding Culwin and a comment on his continuing moral occlusion: his inability to realize that non-involvement in human relationships represents, in reality, the most despicable kind of involvement” (McDowell 137) disappear when Noyes leaves. Culwin never gets to realize the connection between the eyes and his despicable behavior: “Put two and two together if you can. For my part, I haven’t found the link” (Wharton 828). The first time he sees the eyes he “refused to accept the frightening truth of his nature: first, his arrogance prevented him from admitting his own flaws” (Marvulli 45) and he never connects his mistreatment towards Noyes with them. Nevertheless, this is about to change in the end of the story, because Frenham is able to see the truth in the story told, in fact, “Freham, who parallels Gilbert Noyes in his dependence on Culwin’s encouragement and advice (…) has discerned the truth of [Culwin’s] corruption. At last, Culwin looks into the mirror and recognizes the lurid countenance with its horrible eyes as his own” (McDowell 137). Culwin’s hidden and rejected guilt has been prosecuting and haunting him without him learning from his mistakes, until the very last