# VII: Walter Comes to the Shard in the Rock-Wall explained — The Wood Beyond the World > Chapter companion for The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris. ## What happens Walter, after conversing with the old man and hearing the hunters blow their horns, decides to rest and wait for his men while the old man goes ahead to prepare for cooking. However, once alone, Walter's inner turmoil of hope and fear drives him to secretly make his way to the shard in the rock-wall, a pass leading southward. He carefully avoids detection by the old man and his own men, noting the bearings of the cliffs. After a difficult journey over stones and through the cleft, he presses on into the night by moonlight until exhaustion forces him to rest and sleep. ## Themes in this chapter ### Journey and Transformation Walter's deliberate and secret journey to the shard represents a pivotal step in his personal transformation, leaving behind his men and the familiar to venture into the unknown. ### Fate and Free Will Walter's choice to go to the shard despite his inner conflict between hope and fear highlights the tension between fate and his own free will. ## Character check-ins ### Golden Walter Walter decides to rest and wait for his men, but secretly leaves to journey to the shard in the rock-wall, driven by hope and fear. ### The Old Man The old man arises and goes ahead to prepare for cooking, leaving Walter behind. ## Key lines > Thus he spoke, as if nought were toward save supper and bed; but inwardly hope and fear were contending in him, and again his heart beat so hard, that he deemed that the carle must surely hear it. He pretended that nothing was on his mind except supper and sleep, but inside he was torn between hope and fear, his heart pounding so loudly he thought the old man must hear it. _Walter's internal conflict and deception are revealed._ > He had noted the bearings of the cliffs nigh the shard, and whereas he could see their heads everywhere except from the depths of the thicket, he was not like to go astray. He had memorized the landmarks near the shard, and since he could see the cliff tops from most places except deep in the thicket, he was unlikely to lose his way. _Walter's careful planning and navigation skills are emphasized._ > So, though it was so nigh nightfall, yet Walter pressed on, yea, and long after the very night was come. For the moon rose wide and bright a little after nightfall. Even though it was almost dark, Walter continued his journey well into the night, aided by the bright full moon that rose shortly after sunset. _Walter's determination and the moonlight enabling his travel are highlighted._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/vii-walter-comes-to-the-shard-in-the-rock-wall - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters