John Marcher's The Beast In The Jungle

Henry James depicts in his work, The Beast in The Jungle, the philosophical question of what it means to be alive. Confiding to his close friend May Bertram, John Marcher claims to be a passive person and no longer interested in love. While he ponders over the misfortunate event to strike him, his foreshadowing words suggest his rigid choice to exist rather than live. By not choosing to find a love worthwhile nor to be active in his life, John Marcher must face the consequence of existing.

Although The Beast in The Jungle focuses on John Marcher awaiting his imminent suffering and his camaraderie with May Bertram, he reveals himself as a passive protagonist. He knows he is incapable of acting, and insinuates this to May Bertram. “[I]t isn’t

By discussing with his friend over the event to shake him, he describes it as “the foreboding and the convictions of, and that would perhaps overwhelm [himself]” (James 39). Noticeably, the usage of the word ‘foreboding’ and ‘convictions’ hint towards the serious act of waiting for something to happen. May Bertram, sees a similarity to his obsession to that of love, asking him “[i]sn’t what you describe perhaps but the expectation […] of falling in love?” (James 39). Her statement allows to make a parallel between life and love and suggests even a correlation. Yet, in order to fall in love, a person must allow themselves to fall in love. It requires to be active in one’s life as to be in love is to be able to live. As previously mentioned, John Marcher is unable to act for himself, and prefers to ponder over the non-existent. He claims to feel “the sense of being kept for something rare and strange, possibly prodigious and terrible” but disregards the possibility of falling in love with May Bertram (James 39). Rather than falling in love with a person, John Marcher is depicted as a person ‘in love’ or even obsessed with the idea of an eventful life. His potential feelings are nulled by his thoughts and further paralyses him from taking charge of his own life. Thus, his disregard to experience love for himself portrays his character as existing with no