I believe we must all retain, throughout our whole lives, a powerful memory of those early moments of life, a time when we were as much animal as human, the overwhelming feelings of helplessness and vulnerability and mute fear, and the yearning for the protection that our instinct tells us is there, if we could just cry loudly enough. Innocence is something we humans pass through and leave behind, unable to return. But animals live and die in that state, and seeing innocence violated in the form of cruelty to a mere duck can seem like the most barbaric act in the world.
The passage from Sigrid Nunez's "The Friend" reflects on the importance of remembering our early life experiences, when we were deeply vulnerable and dependent. These formative moments evoke a sense of helplessness and a primal instinct to seek protection. Nunez suggests that while humans grow and leave innocence behind, this intrinsic state remains constant for animals, who navigate their lives without the complexities of memory and experience that humans face.
The author highlights the deep emotional impact of witnessing cruelty toward innocent beings, like a duck, which starkly contrasts the inherent innocence animals maintain throughout their lives. Such violence can evoke a profound sense of outrage, revealing the barbarity of human actions against those who cannot protect themselves. This perspective urges readers to consider the significance of innocence and the moral responsibilities humans hold in a world where such vulnerability exists.
