• the power of his eloquence Again, a reader senses how double-edged is the idea of eloquence in this novel. On
    the one hand, Victor's oratory energizes the crew in positive thinking and rouses
    them to their tasks. Without this invigoration their situation could degenerate into
    a laxity of spirit and effort perilous to their well-being. Yet, the emptiness of
    mere rhetoric is likewise emphasized here, since the courage roused one day gives
    in to despondency the next. Words relate to reality only tangentially or conditionally,
    and when the reality remains implacable, Victor's signifying words appear hollow substitutes
    for its unavoidable presence.