The in class trial regarding whether
Wieland be held responsible for the death of his wife and children created a
great discussion. However it also prompted the question of whether Carwin should
be held responsible for his actions and his influence over Wieland. In the
trial the group arguing that Wieland was innocent argued that Carwin is the one
who is 100% responsible for Wieland’s actions. Although I don’t agree that
Carwin is 100% responsible for the crimes committed in this novel, I do agree that
Carwin should be held responsible taking advantage of Wieland. As well as
having influence over Wieland’s actions.
It is no mystery that Wieland is the
individual responsible for physically murdering his wife and children; as he
confesses to the crime himself. However, his reasoning behind his heinous
crimes is based on his devotion to God. He states that “it is needless to say
that God is the object of my supreme passion” (159). Wieland claims the voices
he was hearing were coming from a higher power. He states “As it spoke, the
accents thrilled to my heart: -‘thy prayers are heard. In proof of thy faith
render me thy wife. This is the victim I choose. Call me hither, and here let
me fall.’ The sound, and visage, and light vanished at once” (161). The murder
of his wife is identified through Wieland’s eyes as a sacrifice to God.
However, what he was not aware of was that these voices were coming not from
God but from Carwin.
Although it was Carwin who was
manipulating everyone with his unknown mysterious voices his confession to his
actions brings to light the extent of his involvement in Wieland’s crimes. He states
“Great heaven! What have I done? I think I know the extent of my offenses. I have
acted, but my actions have affected more than I designed. This fear has brought
me back from my retreat. I come to repair the evil of which my rashness was the
cause and to prevent more evil. I come to confess my errors” (188). Carwin show’s
great remorse and guilt as he confesses to Clara that he has been the one
producing the voices that Wieland, Pleyel and she have been hearing. It is
clear by his reaction that he is aware of his wrongdoing and the harm that his
actions have caused. However he is quick to clear his name of the murders as he
states “I am not the villain. I have slain no one; I have prompted none to
slay; I have handled a tool of wonderful efficacy without malignant intentions,
but with caution” (190). If his intentions weren’t malignant at all then why is
it that he shows so much guilt and remorse to Clara? Why is he trying to
clarify his actions? He wouldn’t be feeling guilty if he didn’t feel that he
had done something wrong, which he has. It is true that he was not the one who murdered
but if it wasn’t for his use of ventriloquism he wouldn’t have mislead Wieland
into thinking that he was receiving orders from a higher power.
The reader is never truly told Carwin’s
reason and intentions to why he decided to manipulate Wieland and the rest of
the characters. Although he doesn’t admit it he was trying to stir some type of
controversy by manipulating Wieland and scarring the other characters. He knew
his ventriloquism gave him some type of power that none of the other characters
had so he used it to his advantage until it went too far and caused harm.
Carwin took advantage of Wieland's religious views and commitment and used him
as his prey. Like Clara stats “Carwin was the instigation” (209). He wasn’t the
one who committed the crimes but he was the one who gave Wieland the final push
to commit those crimes making him an accomplice.
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