Still, he always approahed the job with a faint reluctance, disliking the manner of it more than the result. Chopping down a tree for timber was straight-forward; girdling it seemed somehow mean-spirited, if practical, leaving the tree to die slowly, unable to bring water from its roots above the ring ot bare, exposed wood. It was not so unpleasant in the fall, at least, when the trees were dormant and leafless already; it must be rather like dying in their sleep, he thought. Or hoped.
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.
