Absolutely not! The very thought of the lawyer and the banker making the bet with the prior knowledge of its actual outcome is faulty in itself.
One of the most important reasons, why the lawyer had accepted the bet was that he wanted to be a millionaire. Zealous and optimistic, he must have thought that after undergoing the pains of living in solitary confinement for fifteen years, he would end up as a millionaire. Following this, he could enjoy a trouble-free and luxurious life.
Of course, the lawyer was clueless as to the change he was going to experience. Not even in his farthest thoughts, had he imagined that intense and vigorous reading would cause in him a strong apathy for the worldly pleasures and material wealth.
It’s during his imprisonment that he realizes “the blessings of this world” are “all worthless, fleeting, illusory, and deceptive, like a mirage.”
Similarly, the banker was absolutely convinced that in no way could the lawyer complete the bet. He was sure that sooner or later, he would give in and walk out of the room.
So, what we see is each of them is proven utterly wrong in their pre-conceived assessments of the bet’s final outcome. Nothing happens as had been imagined by each of them:
On the one hand, the realization of the futility of material wealth and physical pleasure expunges the lawyer’s desire to become a millionaire; on the other, the stupefied banker is anxious to get rid of the lawyer and save his millions.
So, we see that it was their incorrect assessment of the bet's result that had led them to make the bet. In the lawyer's case, it was the possibility of winning the whopping sum of two million rubles that had driven him to stake the vital years of his youth; while the “spoilt and frivolous” banker had made the bet only because he was certain about his win.
So, it’s certain that if they had any idea about how the bet was about to end up, the bet wouldn't have been possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment