The character in Diana Gabaldon's "The Fiery Cross" exhibits a sense of reluctance toward his job, reflecting a deeper emotional conflict about the process of tree girdling. While he finds the act of cutting down trees for timber clear-cut and straightforward, girdling evokes feelings of regret as it leaves the tree in a prolonged state of suffering. The practicality of the method clashes with his moral discomfort, highlighting an internal struggle between necessity and compassion.

As the seasons change, he feels somewhat reassured during the fall when the trees are dormant and bare. This seasonal shift allows him to reconsider the act of girdling, likening it to a peaceful end where trees might "die in their sleep." His hope that the trees' death could be gentle reflects his desire to reconcile the harshness of his actions with a sense of mercy, ultimately capturing the complexity of human interactions with nature.