Solitude and Isolation

Where it surfaces

• Toilers of the Sea

  Gilliatt's character is defined by his separation from the community and his solitary existence.

• Book I: The History of a Bad Reputation

  Gilliatt's life on the fringes of society and his reputation as an outsider highlight the theme of isolation.

• A Word Written on a White Page

  The snowy, almost deserted road and the distant, unconnected figures of the child, man, and woman evoke a sense of isolation and quiet observation.

• The Bû de la Rue

  Gilliatt's dwelling, the Bû de la Rue, is isolated on a promontory, cut off from the island and often inundated by tides, reflecting his social and physical isolation.

• For Your Wife: When You Marry

  Gilliatt and his mother live avoided by all; after her death, his isolation becomes a 'blank,' and he turns further from society toward nature.

• An Unpopular Man

  Gilliatt's solitary life in the Bû de la Rue and his moral quarantine by society exemplify his profound isolation.

• V: More Suspicious Facts About Gilliatt

  Gilliatt is ostracized by the community due to his mysterious reputation, bathing alone in perilous places and living under the ban of public opinion.

• The Dutch Sloop

  Gilliatt lives alone, works in isolation, and is shunned by the community due to superstitions about his 'medlar branch.'

• A Fit Tenant for a Haunted House

  Gilliatt's solitude is depicted as a catalyst for his visionary thoughts and unique worldview, generating a sublime exaltation that sets him apart from others.

• Book IV: The Bagpipe

  Gilliatt's solitary nature and his separation from the community are emphasized through his bagpipe playing and his reputation as a dreamer.

• Streaks of Fire on the Horizon

  Gilliatt's extreme shyness and avoidance of women, even old women, underscores his profound isolation.

• The Unknown Unfolds Itself by Degrees

  Gilliatt's solitary watching and listening from behind the wall underscores his isolation and the distance between him and Déruchette.

• The Air 'Bonnie Dundee' Finds an Echo on the Hill

  Gilliatt's solitary watching and dreaming near the garden wall, absorbed in his own thoughts and feelings.

• How an Idler Had the Good Fortune to Be Seen by a Fisherman

  Gilliatt is depicted as a solitary figure, lost in reverie about Déruchette, and his encounter with the stranger highlights his isolated life on the coast.

• Book V: The Revolver

  Gilliatt's prolonged isolation on the Douvres rock is a central theme, emphasizing his psychological and physical endurance.

• IV: Pleinmont

  Pleinmont is described as a lonely, isolated place with a single house that adds terror to solitude. The house is shunned by humans, left to the elements and the supernatural, emphasizing its profound isolation.

• The Douvres

  The Douvres are completely isolated, avoided by humans, and home only to sea birds and monstrous creatures, emphasizing the theme of solitude.

• VI: The Interior of an Abyss Suddenly Revealed

  Clubin is alone on the rock, isolated from humanity, and finds this solitude liberating for his evil self-revelation.

• Part II: Malicious Gilliatt

  Gilliatt's solitary lifestyle and the community's view of him as 'Malicious' underscore the theme of isolation and its social consequences.

• Book I: The Rock

  Gilliatt is portrayed as a solitary figure, living apart from the community and rumored to have a mysterious, isolated existence on the rock.

• The Place Which Is Difficult to Reach, and Difficult to Leave

  Gilliatt's stealthy departure and his solitary approach to the remote, dangerous rocks underscore his isolation in this desperate enterprise.

• A Stable for the Horse

  Gilliatt's solitary decision-making and physical isolation on the Douvres underscore his complete separation from human society and comfort.

• A Chamber for the Voyager

  Gilliatt is alone on the Douvres, sleeping in a rock chamber while seabirds flee his presence, emphasizing his utter isolation.

• VIII: Importunæque Volucres

  Gilliatt's solitary existence on the rock is underscored by his dream of Déruchette and the loss of his provisions, emphasizing his physical and emotional isolation.

• The Rock, and How Gilliatt Used It

  Gilliatt works entirely alone on a barren rock, with no shelter or provisions, highlighting his profound isolation.

• X: The Forge

  Gilliatt works alone in the desolate rocks, his only companions the sea and his own abstract thoughts.

• Discovery

  Gilliatt's solitary exploration of the remote, uninhabited rock underscores his isolation from human society.

• The Interior of an Edifice Under the Sea

  Gilliatt stands alone in this vast, silent underwater edifice, cut off from the world above.

• XIII: What Was Seen There; and What Perceived Dimly

  Gilliatt's solitary exploration of the hidden grotto emphasizes his isolation and deep connection with the natural world.

• Sub Re

  Gilliatt works alone on the desolate Douvres, cut off from human companionship, with only birds and the elements as his companions.

• Sub Umbra

  Gilliatt's solitary contemplation of the night sky underscores his profound isolation, as he alone bears the weight of these cosmic and existential reflections.

• X: Sea-Warnings

  Gilliatt works alone in the dark, relying on his own knowledge and vigilance to interpret the sea's warnings.

• The Ocean Winds

  The winds inhabit 'desert solitudes' and 'inhospitable realms,' emphasizing the isolation of the sea and the lonely, untamed nature of these forces.

• Gilliatt's Alternatives

  Gilliatt faces his critical dilemma alone, with no aid or escape, emphasizing his profound isolation.

• He Who Is Hungry Is Not Alone

  Gilliatt faces the devilfish entirely alone, cut off from any human aid, emphasizing his profound isolation in the midst of a hostile environment.

• V: The Fatal Difference Between Six Inches and Two Feet

  Gilliatt works alone in the dark, cold, and silence, reproaching himself for his perceived failures, emphasizing his profound isolation.

• De Profundis Ad Altum

  Gilliatt is utterly alone on the rock, surrounded by the vast ocean and darkness, emphasizing his profound isolation.

• Book I: Night and the Moon

  Gilliatt is depicted alone under the night sky, emphasizing his separation from society and his introspective nature.

• The Harbour Bell Again

  Gilliatt watches from the shadows, alone and unseen, while Déruchette is courted by another, highlighting his emotional isolation.

• Book III: The Departure of the Cashmere

  Gilliatt's isolation is deepened as the ship carrying his love sails away, leaving him alone.

• IV: For Your Wife: When You Marry

  Gilliatt's final words and his statement 'I shall never marry' underscore his emotional isolation and the loneliness of his unrequited love.

• The Great Tomb

  Gilliatt deliberately avoids people, walks alone, and ultimately dies in solitude, watched only by birds.