This series of chapters focuses primarily on Abbé Faria and his impact on Edmond Dantés. When we meet him, we realize he is a driven man. Through his time in prison, he has created tools, enacted escape plans, written encyclopedias, and has dug tunnels. In comparison, our hero has done almost nothing. But as Faria says "misfortune is needed to plumb certain mysterious depths in the understanding of men... my captivity concentrated all my faculties on a single point" (160). There is definitely truth to that. There is nothing like crisis to make one focus. Example: On Monday, I was sick and for the rest of the day I was focused on not being sick (I'm much better now). Moral of the story: Time Managment. Have it.
But Faria is also a man in crisis. He thought his escape attempt was God's will, guaranteeing its success. Its failure, to Faria, means that he is not meant to escape and that any further attempt would be futile. As he says, "I shall not take another step towards my freedom , since God's will is for me to have lost it forever" (152).
This comment is more interesting when one considers the role of an author as a sort of god. In this, Dumas never intended for Faria escape, as Faria himself stated. Dumas has a larger plan in mind and that plan involves Faria making his mathematical error that lands him in Edmond's cell. In this context, heaven and hell exist in the reader's final impression of the character at the end of the story. And I suppose that characters only have free will insofar as characters "write themselves" as some authors say. Silly metaphor perhaps.
Also interesting is Faria's thoughts about the nature of mankind and murder. He compares the tiger's instinct to murder versus mankind being repelled by blood. "It is not the laws of society that condemn murder, but the laws of nature" (154). His philosophy is that man is above all good. He says that "unless an evil thought is born in a twisted mind, human nature is repelled by crime. However, civilization has given us needs, vices, and artificial appetites which sometimes cause us to repress our good instincts and lead us to wrongdoing" (161). This guy is basically Rousseau (enlightenment philosopher, not the character on Lost). He is motivated to never kill. He abhors the very idea of it, but thinks about how it would help his plans constantly.
I especially like this quote from Faria: "Every individual , from the lowest to the highest on the social scale, is at the centre of a little network of interests" (161-2). Basically, everyone is important. Despite his positive view of human nature, he will go on and say that men are basically two legged "tigers and crocodiles" (164).
Faria also serves the important purpose of figuring out who betrayed Edmond. Though I must object to the way he figures out Danglers' letter. He explains that he has noticed that "all handwriting with the right hand varies, all that done with the left hand looks the same" (164). As a left handed person from birth, I can clearly confirm: Left handed handwriting is all over the map.
He makes it up with his awesome description of Philosophy. As he says, "philosophy is the union of all acquired and the genius that applies it: philosophy is the shining cloud upon which Christ set His foot to go up into heaven" (169). As a recently declared philosophy minor, this made my day. Not really, but kind of. Seriously though, I appreciate the description of how Edmond becomes a different person through his education. We don't really see him evolve in thee five chapters in how he his written, but one understands how just spending time with Faria would change him.
Further, Edmond time spent with Faria changes Faria too. After being filled with bitterness, he is able to forgive the world and is filled with joy. All of the work Dumas does with Faira, especially in chapter 17, makes his death all of the more painful. I don't have much to say about it... but it was effective. His character reminds of the Bishop who saves Valjean in Les Miserables. In the same way the Bishop's influence is constantly felt, I could see Edmond always thinking back to Faria. It's Faria 's influence that allows Edmond to reject suicide:
"No, I want to live, I want to struggle to the end. No, I want to recover the happiness that has been taken away from me. I am forgetting that, before I die, I have my enemies to punish and, who knows? -- perhaps a few friends to reward" (197).
First, that's an awesome speech. Very life affirming. Second, I wonder how Faria's vow against killing will affect Edmond? Clearly, vengeance is a strong motivation for Edmond. That balance will be interesting in later chapters.
I also have to mention how cool chapter 20 works. The whole way through, the reader assumes that Edmond, who is in Faria's bodybag, is about to get burried. But hints layered throughout the chapter make the reader aware that something is up. And then we find out that Edmond has been tossed into the ocean. Once more, Dumas, strong cliffhanger.
Thank you for reading!
Scott Charles
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