Ralph Touchett, the Visionless Man

The second (probably) important character of the novel is Ralph Touchett, son of Mrs. Touchett, who is sickly but smart, and having no optimism. Since the first chapter, Ralph shows his closeness with his father and nurses his father, despite the fact that he is not a healthy person himself. Their condition has gathered them under the same roof pretty much all the time.

One of the very protruding traits Ralph shows is the lack of optimism. James implies this with Ralph putting his hands in the pocket all the time, as if someone who avoid being involved in certain things in life. He doesn't expect anything from life anymore. He had a good career until it was found that he got lung problem. Since then, he doesn't take active part in life. However, his reception of the condition that he suffers makes him at least go on living.

He finds Isabel a very nice girl and he is comfortable with her at first sight. This can be seen from the way he would give his dog to Isabel. We all know that dogs are very close friend to Americans. Americans treat their dog like they do to family members. When someone is willing to give his dog to another person, it means that they trust that person. Later, Ralph likes the cousin even more. So interested as he is in Isabel, he even questions himself whether he is in love with the girl.

Here, Ralph is called a philosopher and it is proven from the way he doesn't directly call his interest in Isabel as a “love”. He questions this after being close with for some time. Apart from this time, he only tries to fathom what is so interesting with Isabel that has captures his heart.

He is very suspicious about his mother's intention of taking Isabel with her to Europe. He interrogates his mother about it. At first, his mother seems to keep her reason of taking Isabel with her. Or, perhaps, she doesn't want to do something other than taking Isabel with her to teach her more about life. However, ineluctably, what Ralph does triggers me to think that there's something behind her mother's intention to take Isabel with her to London and European countries.

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