# Critics explained — The Forerunner

> Chapter companion for The Forerunner by Khalil Gibran.

## What happens

A traveller stops at an inn, ties his horse outside, and sleeps. At midnight, a thief steals the horse. In the morning, the traveller grieves, but the other lodgers only criticize his mistakes, never blaming the thief.

## Themes in this chapter

### Truth and Disguise

The critics disguise their own lack of compassion by focusing on the traveller's faults, avoiding the truth of the thief's wrongdoing.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator recounts the story of the traveller and the critics.

## Key lines

> At midnight, when all were asleep, a thief came and stole the traveller’s horse.

In the dead of night, while everyone slept, a thief took the traveller's horse.

_Key event of the chapter._

> My friends, because my horse is stolen, you have hastened one and all to tell me my faults and my shortcomings. But strange, not one word of reproach have you uttered about the man who stole my horse.

You all rush to point out my mistakes, yet none of you blame the actual thief.

_The traveller's poignant observation on misplaced criticism._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forerunner_se/chapters/critics
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forerunner_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_forerunner_se/chapters