Dead Man Leading: Analysis of Major Characters
"Dead Man Leading: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the intricate dynamics of a group of explorers navigating the Brazilian jungle, each character embodying distinct traits and personal struggles. At the forefront is Harry Johnson, a timber merchant burdened by guilt and haunted by the memory of his missing father, whose adventurous spirit compels him into the wild. His complex relationships, particularly with Lucy Mommbrekke, a young woman he briefly loved, reveal his deep fears of commitment and responsibility. Gilbert Phillips, a journalist and Johnson’s long-time friend, grapples with anxiety and self-doubt, feeling tethered to Johnson's fate throughout their perilous journey. Charles Wright, the group's leader and a former army doctor, showcases a blend of capability and frustration, particularly when confronted with the dangers arising from Johnson's erratic decisions. The character of Lucy adds a layer of emotional depth, illustrating the complexities of love and dependency, as she struggles with her feelings for Johnson while ultimately seeking to liberate herself through marriage. Additionally, Calcott, a local with deep-seated insecurities, and Silva, a pragmatic Portuguese man driven by greed, provide contrasting perspectives on survival and morality in the jungle. Together, these characters paint a nuanced portrait of human emotion set against the backdrop of adventure and existential exploration.
Dead Man Leading: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: V. S. Pritchett
First published: 1937
Genre: Novel
Locale: Brazil and London, England
Plot: Psychological
Time: c.1930
Harry Johnson, a timber merchant and adventurer who relishes solitude. He is about thirty years old, strong, muscular, and awkward. He has big brown eyes, a crinkled forehead, immensely broad shoulders, and a gentle, aloof manner. He is the son of a missionary who disappeared in the same Brazilian forest that Johnson is about to explore along with his two friends, Gilbert Phillips and Charles Wright. Before leaving England, he had a brief love affair with Wright's stepdaughter, Lucy Mommbrekke. Obsessed with the fear that she may be having a child and that he will be chained to her, he falls ill on the launch that is taking him and Phillips upriver to rendezvous with Wright. He longs to talk to his friends but cannot bring himself to risk their saying that he has lost his nerve. When he recovers from his illness, he and Silva leave in a canvas canoe without telling Phillips and Wright, who overtake them. Johnson is punishing himself and Wright because he feels guilty and wants to be alone. Eventually, he forgets the other men and thinks only of his father, the dead man of the title. He is extremely brave: He makes a tremendous but unsuccessful effort to save Wright's life, and, after weeks of cutting through the jungle, he staggers off to find water for Phillips and disappears.
Gilbert Phillips, an English journalist. He is about thirty years old, tall, and fair as a Dane. Since boyhood, he has been Johnson's friend, and he is a former lover of Lucy. He is highly impressionable and is a worrier who believes that his safety is tied to Johnson. He wallows in self-pity. After Wright's death, he follows Johnson for many miles through almost impenetrable jungle because he is afraid to turn back alone. After Johnson's departure in search of water, Phillips is saved by rain. Terrified of being alone, he stumbles along until rescued by some Germans.
Charles Wright, a former army doctor who is now an explorer. He is trim, erect, and capable, with a wiry strength. He is indignant when he, the leader, feels obliged to follow Johnson, particularly after it becomes evident that the young man is taking a dangerous course differing from the one on which they agreed. Pity prompts him to go hunting with Johnson and try to reason with him. When he is accidentally shot by his own gun, he is carried by Johnson back to the boat, where he dies.
Lucy Mommbrekke, a rather short, soft-bodied, lazy, and sensual girl. She has black, closely curling hair above a very white forehead and dark, lively eyes. After initiating a love affair with Johnson, she appears to become his adoring slave. Like him, she is unsure in social relationships, and she knows that a marriage between them could not be successful. She begs Phillips to look after Johnson on the expedition. Soon after the men's departure, she marries to free herself from her wild, intolerable love of Johnson.
Calcott, a lank, wasted, bald, dirty Cockney of fifty who owns the house from which the expedition is to start. He has spent thirty years in the country and has a Brazilian wife, whom he beats, and seven children. His acute sense of inferiority makes him suspect every visiting Englishman of snubbing him. His conversation is filled with dire prophesies of the horrid fates that befall travelers in the jungle. He was the last person to see Johnson's father.
Silva, a fat Portuguese man in miniature. He is intelligent, discreet, and greedy for gold. He and Calcott conduct spiritualist séances, although he does not believe in spirits. He arranges for the table-tapping to indicate that Johnson's father is not dead and has found gold. Greed is his motive for accompanying Harry.