# XX: The Bow explained — The World Below

> Chapter companion for The World Below by S. Fowler Wright.

## What happens

After the assault on the arsenal, the narrator and his amphibian companion barricade themselves inside. The narrator wounds his foot and receives medical care from the amphibian, who finds his body repulsive. They discuss the Killers' tactics and decide to wait until dawn. The amphibian uses a bow to fend off an attack, and the narrator makes a lucky shot that scatters the Killers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Violence and Ethics

The chapter depicts a violent confrontation with the Killers, including the narrator's lucky shot and the amphibian's detached yet effective use of the bow.

### Alienation and Otherness

The amphibian's revulsion at the narrator's wound highlights the deep biological and psychological divide between their species.

### Mortality and Immortality

The narrator's injury and the amphibian's healing touch, along with reflections on the fragility of life, underscore themes of mortality.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator is wounded in the foot, receives care from the amphibian, and makes a lucky bow shot that scatters the Killers.

### The Amphibians

The amphibian companion tends to the narrator's wound, communicates with their Leader, and shows skill with the bow during the attack.

### The Killers

The Killers attack the barricaded room but are scattered after the narrator's arrow wounds one of their archers.

## Key lines

> It seems to me, that your life in any world must be a succession of unexpected happenings, and I begin to understand why you seem to me both so brave and so cowardly.

The amphibian observes that the narrator's life is full of surprises, which explains his contradictory bravery and cowardice.

_Reflects the amphibian's growing understanding of human nature._

> I have noticed among my kind, that there is nothing that draws us together so intimately as the common sharing of any physical danger

The narrator reflects that shared danger creates a deep bond between people.

_Highlights the intimacy formed through the fight and the wound-tending._

> I should not have shown you. All is well. Sleep. I will think of it thoroughly. Besides, I must communicate with our Leader.

The amphibian apologizes for revealing her revulsion and tells the narrator to rest while she contacts their leader.

_Shows the amphibian's attempt to repair the emotional breach._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se/chapters/xx-the-bow
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se/chapters