The Role Of Edward Leithen's Journey In 'Sick Heart River'

Sophie Sollid
Richard Harris
English 113
March 20, 2023
Sick Heart RIver
Decision making in life involves going through a journey that allows individuals to gain perspective, challenge themselves, and grow as people. In the novel Sick Heart River, John Buchan presents the protagonist, Edward Leithen, who embarks on a physical journey through Northern Canada, along with Francis Galliard and Lew Frizel. However, the most significant journey that occurs is Leithen’s internal quest that results in his personal transformation, which demonstrates how the journey into the wilderness can help Leithen understand himself and his place in the world.

Leithen’s journey began by deciding to test his strength in the Canadian wilderness. Edward Leithen is

As a successful lawyer, Leithen’s priorities were always success and power. However, when he was in the unforgiving Canadian environment, Leithen discovered that his value of success in the business world were not true. When he was reflecting on his task in the wilderness of finding Galliard, he commented that the “mere finding of Galliard would not spell success, or the loss of him failure. Success lay in his own spirit” (Buchan 84). Leithen begins to redefine his beliefs and how he values success. As he assigns success to take place in himself, he finds more happiness and security in himself. This quest made Leithen appreciate his own life with a more profound sense of

As a businessman, relationships were thought to be business connections to further his success. In Northern Canada, this could not be more different. To survive, he needed the help of his guide, as well as knowledge of other people of the land. His survival depended on the connections he made with other people along his journey. As he formed genuine relationships, he reflected on the sincerity and compassion of people: “His sudden realisation of the mercifulness behind the rigour of Nature had made him warm towards common humanity” (Buchan 155). Near the end of his journey, the tough wilderness opened him up to form real relationships with people. Leithen restored his compassion by embracing the connections that were necessary to survive in the Canadian