One and Two
Summary
By Walter Besant
In a country garden, seventeen-year-old Will walks with his fifteen-year-old friend Nelly. Will shares his excitement for his future at Cambridge University and Nelly listens with adoration. Though University will be hard work, Will knows that it will pay off when he becomes a judge, scholar, bishop, or statesman – the boy cannot decide which path he will take. Meanwhile, Will’s Tutor, who is Nelly’s father, worries about the boy. The Tutor tells his wife that Will has brains and ambition, but that the boy is a dreamer.
Two years later, Will tells Nelly that he is disillusioned by his Cambridge experience. Nelly knows privately, from her father, that Will’s lack of accomplishments is due to his lack of hard work. Though Will appears confident, he is secretly ashamed. The voice within him cries: “Work, work! Get up and work! All this is folly! Work! Nothing can be done without work-work-work!” (47).
Later, back at the University, Will returns home to find himself sitting with a pile of books! Will’s other self – the Intellectual Principle – is tired of Will’s laziness and intends to work hard. Will learns that he is the Animal half and proceeds to smoke tobacco, play games, and relax outdoors without any guilt. The two Wills coexist for some time, but the Animal self realizes that he is increasingly unable to use reason at all. The Animal eats, drinks, and goes outdoors when the Intellectual commands it. To his horror, Will becomes a slave to his better self.
At twenty-three years old, the two Wills are finished at Cambridge and move to London. Nelly and her father spend time with both Wills and are confused by the encounters. During the day, they see the dull Will, and in the evening a successful one with no charm. Inspired by his love for Nelly, the Animal confronts the Intellectual and demands change. To his surprise, the Intellectual is unhappy too. The successful Will is so intellectual that he cannot admire Nelly, and he realizes that he is not a man because success is nothing without passion.
The two Wills become whole again. Will tells Nelly that he will no longer be dull, nor will he be overly ambitious. He tells her: “I am once more human – because I love” (54).
About The Story
If you are a fan of Victorian fiction, "One and Two" might remind you of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson or The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. All three stories consider how the human psyche is comprised of different parts. There is a duality within mankind, as people can be lazy, evil, or sinful, or they can be hardworking and good. Interestingly, all three of these stories were published within seven years: "One and Two" in 1893, Jekyll and Hyde in 1886, and Dorian Gray in 1890. These stories reflect aspects of the emerging field of Psychology, which sought to study the human mind through the scientific method.
Although "One and Two" explores the boundaries of the human mind, the text does not describe how Will splits into two, nor how Will becomes whole again. Similarly, the illustrations do not depict the changes as they occur. They do affirm, however, that the second self is not imaginary or a figment of the imagination. Will’s inner voice wants to work harder, and that inner voice is so powerful that it becomes real. With the exception of the final illustration, the images showcase Will speaking to others from a distance. Will does not make eye contact with Nelly, but he appears to look directly at his second self, the Intellectual Principle.
Psychological science is at the foundation of "One and Two". In the story, there is an unconscious part of the mind that influences human experience. To become whole again, Will must find a way to achieve, as we call it in contemporary terms, work-life-balance. In contrast to the early illustrations, where Will speaks about himself or to himself, Will focuses on Nelly in the final images. The last illustration, in particular, captures his change. Instead of gazing at Nelly, Will is finally close to her.