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.
