Essay Questions

“Chaff” becomes a word of great significance in the story, yet not one in which the connotation is not one modern readers are likely familiar with. How does context help to define it?

The first appearance of this word in the story is used to describe the peculiarities of Walker’s personality: he takes a liking to Mackintosh at first “because he could chaff him.” Less than 200 words later, the word pops up again within a context that foreshadows its significance when the narrator informs the reader of one incredibly substantial fact: “Walker little knew that there was nothing Mackintosh could stand less than chaff.” At this point, a certain idea of what the word means should be fairly clear as the contextual clues indicate that Walker’s idea of funny runs toward the sarcastic putdown while Mackintosh’s sleep is actually affected by his tendency to “brood sullenly over the gibe that Walker had uttered.”

If there remains any doubt or ambiguity as the meaning of the word, it should be thoroughly expelled by the conative context of its third and final appearance in the story: “Walker bullied his way to victory, bluffing his opponent, chaffing him, jeering at his mistakes, up to every dodge, browbeating him, exulting.” It is clear now that Mackintosh is not merely being overly sensitive to Walker engaging in harmlessly sarcastic repartee, but has fully assumed the role of verbal bully intent on not just ridiculing Mackintosh, but metaphorically emasculating him.

How is Walker metaphorically portrayed as one of the brutally honest depictions of British colonialist imperialism in literature?

Walker is the very essence of British imperialism in its colonial occupations around the globe. He becomes a symbolic incarnation of the way that British colonialism operated in its incursion into underprivileged states around the world. As the narrator makes clear, Walker has enjoyed his reign as administrator over his little island domain for a quarter of a century without rebellion or interruption due to a very successful implementation of ideological rule. He looks upon the natives as children and has successfully engaged a reward structure encouraging them to behave like children in exchange for compassionate treatment. He also situates himself as a lord protectorate obstructing any attempts by outside forces to exploit them, thus creating a false sense among the natives that confuses benevolent despotism with genuine concern. As the narrator fashions the relationship, Walker loved them because they were in his power, as a selfish man loves his dog” and just like a loyal dog will protect even a cruel master, the islands display a cultish devotion to the master who portrays himself as paternalistic authority. All of this description applies equally to the British Empire’s ideological hold over colonial possessions as to Walker.

What do the story’s opening and closing lines suggest is the actual underlying cause of the tragic end of Mackintosh, the character?

First, the story’s concluding sentence: “An hour later half a dozen slim brown sharks were splashing and struggling at the spot where he fell.” This gruesome imagery only takes on thematic meaning as a result of its connection to the sentence which opens the story. In fact, “He splashed about for a few minutes in the sea; it was too shallow to swim in and for fear of sharks he could not go out of his depth” does not even comprise the entire sentence but is merely the vital part of its construction. For that matter, the only truly significant part is that information conveyed about the shallowness of the water, Mackintosh’s fear of sharks and his self-awareness of his own limitations.

That Mackintosh winds up as mutilated chum floating out to deeper depths to end existence in the stomach of sharks indicates that he failed to apply to this same self-awareness to his professional existence. Mackintosh’s aversion to being chaffed and his inability to fully comprehend the complexity of Walker’s position as administration should have been enough to convince him to leave the island not long after arriving. The man who knew enough about himself to avoid getting into waters too deep to ensure his survival against predatory beasts failed to apply that metaphor to the literal reality of his daily existence and so paid the price.