He knew clearly enough that his imagination was growing traitor to him, and yet at times it seemed the ship he sailed in, his fellow-passengers, the sailors, the wide sea, were all part of a filmy phantasmagoria that hung, scarcely veiling it, between him and a horrible real world. Then the Porroh man, thrusting his diabolical face through that curtain, was the one real and undeniable thing. At that he would get up and touch things, taste something, gnaw something, burn his hand with a match, or run a needle into himself.{"Pollock And The Porrah Man"}
The excerpt highlights the struggle of the protagonist, who is caught between the realms of imagination and a terrifying reality. He senses that his mind is betraying him, creating a vivid illusion that envelops his surroundings, including the ship and its passengers. This dreamlike state contrasts sharply with the looming horror outside, symbolized by the ominous figure of the Porroh man, which disrupts his fantasy and reminds him of the harsh truth.
In an effort to reconnect with reality, the protagonist engages in self-destructive actions, testing the limits of his sensory perceptions. Through touching, tasting, and even inflicting pain upon himself, he seeks to confirm his existence and confront the undeniable terror represented by the Porroh man. This internal conflict illustrates the complexities of fear and the desperate need for grounding in a world that feels increasingly surreal.
