In Chapter Twelve, the
concept of friendship was mentioned and portrayed as something insecure and
dishonest. The friendship between Bernard, Helmholtz, and John was genuine
because of their attraction for each other’s unique qualities. Bernard does not
easily become comfortable enough to build a friendship with other people, yet
with Helmholtz and John he finds two that he is able to trust. Things turn
however, when John does not go to Bernard’s party, building Bernard’s
revengeful thirst towards John. Huxley then states that, “One of the principal
functions of a friend is to suffer…the punishments that we should like, but are
unable, to inflict upon our enemies” (121). This explains a reality, almost
unspoken of, about the relationship within a friendship. Bernard eventually goes to
Helmholtz to be consoled. Knowing how he should treat Helmholtz
with kindness and gratefulness, Bernard finds it almost inevitable not to take
advantage of his friend. He instead releases the anger upon Helmholtz and
treats him with little respect. Huxley states that this is a “principal
function” as if a friendship is mechanically systemized such as everything in
the Civilized world. I wonder if the statement Huxley had pronounced is a
general fact one must accept and be aware of within all friendships. Are
friendships something we can take advantage of even though we morally believe
that it is wrong to? Or do we just accept that this is part of a deal within a
friendship?
I believe what Huxley is trying to say is that human beings tend to take advantage of others, even if they know it is wrong, and even if they do not mean to. Bernard and Helmholtz did not necessarily mean to hurt or take advantage of each other. It is human nature that sometimes we do things that we come to regret. It is the duty of friends to both forgive these mistakes and have their own mistakes be forgiven, so that both can grow as people and continue their lives.
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