The Shadow: Depression?

One part of the reading that struck out to me was Anodos’ shadow could actually be a representation of depression. As someone who previously suffered from bouts of depression the story of it leading up to him going on the boat reminds me of how depression works. It comes on suddenly and stays sometimes coming over others you become close to because of how it affects you. He often refers to his shadow as his “evil demon” which often times do we not refer to our hard times and depression as a demon, and how we struggle with them?

How people react to his shadow also reminds me a lot of how others react to knowing that someone who has depression. Like with the villagers who at first were very welcoming then upon seeing his shadow shunned him and many denied him a simple pleasure of food or drink, he would also often get teased. This actually happens when you first meet people and you have depression, they seem so welcoming because you often distance yourself from people. However, once they get closer they realize there is something wrong with how you respond to life and then almost reject you a good majority of the time.

Also the shadow would envelope people who Anodos would get close to, like with Sir Percival and the little girl with the musical orb. He would spend time with them while traveling a few days at a time, once they would form an affection for each other the shadow would attempt to “attack” them or cover them with his darkness. This also happens sometimes with people who are close to those with depression, it can stretch and “cover” those who are normally mentally healthy and affect them with a sadness as well.

When on a journey of any kind of self discovery or growth a person can go through many kinds of emotion especially depression because it is hard to change yourself or grow beyond how a person is currently. Anodos has just had his birthday and now is learning to grow and be an adult by filling in the place his father left off. This shadow I think is a good representation of moving beyond hard emotions that come with self growth.