The division between his good intentions and sinful actions, and how pity and responsibility are the cause of this conflict.
Scobie is a contradictory character in that he is unable to fulfill his own ideals. A staunch Catholic, Scobie embraces his fatih, and yet, he finds himself unable to follow the basic tenets of the church. He attempts to help the downtrodden, and he strives to make his wife happy..... unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. He doesn't love his wife, and he has an affair..... neither being conducive to a happy marriage, or even to a happy man. In the end, he cannot live with his own actions and takes his own life.
The Heart of the Matter
