Esio Trot

From the outset, the theme of Loneliness and Companionship is clear. Mr. Hoppy no longer works, so he does not even have the company of coworkers for a social outlet. Despite his loneliness, he feels love for two entities, but neither object of his love is aware:

There were two loves in Mr. Hoppy’s life. One was the flowers he grew on his balcony. They grew in pots and tubs, and in summer the little balcony became a riot of colour. Mr. Hoppy’s second love was a secret he kept entirely to himself (9).

Mrs. Silver is, of course, the second love. Mr. Hoppy has been watching her from above for years, but “he [is] a very shy man and he had never been able to bring himself to give her even the smallest hint of his love” (10), despite his comfort making small talk with her. Indeed, it is always the highlight of his day. However, Dahl describes the gulf between them as only Mr. Hoppy can feel it: “The distance between their balconies might not have been more than a few yards, but to Mr. Hoppy it seemed like a million miles” (10). Despite their close physical proximity, Mr. Hoppy’s shyness and lack of courage create an imagined distance between them.

He believes that a closer relationship with Mrs. Silver would make him feel happy because “as he look[s] down at Mrs. Silver’s smiling face gazing up into his own, he [thinks] for the thousandth time how pretty she [is], how sweet and gentle and full of kindness, and his heart ache[s] with love” (18). Mrs. Silver expresses love in obvious ways, but “she [gives] all her love to somebody else, and that somebody [is] a small tortoise called Alfie. Every day, when Mr. Hoppy look[s] over his balcony and [sees] Mrs. Silver whispering endearments to Alfie and stroking his shell, he [feels] absurdly jealous” (12).

Mr. Hoppy experiences a debilitating personality trait that is characteristic of many of Dahl’s characters. In his case, it manifests as shyness that acts as a barrier to everything he wants. Rather than muster the courage to approach Mrs. Silver as any other prospective suitor might, he limits himself to internal, imagined scenarios:

Oh, if only, he kept telling himself, if only he could do something tremendous like save her life or rescuing her from a gang of armed thugs, if only he could perform some great feat that would make him a hero in her eyes. If only… (12).

Mr. Hoppy finds the grand gesture easier to accomplish than small acts that could also bring him closer to Mrs. Silver, such as engaging in proactive, meaningful conversation.

In the absence of such heroic opportunities, he fantasizes about the next best thing: “He wouldn’t even have minded becoming a tortoise if it meant Mrs. Silver stroking his shell each morning and whispering endearments to him” (13). A competent, skilled mechanic who no longer has the obligations of work, Mr. Hoppy would rather “change places with Alfie” than face his fears and shyness (15).

Thankfully, Mrs. Silver’s concern for Alfie’s size is as absurd as Mr. Hoppy’s jealousy, giving Mr. Hoppy an opportunity to help with a problem. She thinks she knows how Alfie feels when she says, “Try to think how miserable it must make him feel to be so titchy! Everyone wants to grow up” (20). She apparently can’t imagine a more undignified situation for a tortoise than to be small. She is so distraught at his slow growth that she says, “I beg you to tell me, Mr. Hoppy! I’ll be your slave for life!” and “a little shiver of excitement [goes] through Mr. Hoppy” (21).

Unfortunately, although her pledge allows Mr. Hoppy to begin the plan that will lead to their marriage, it also introduces the theme of Deception and Ethics. The thought of having Mrs. Silver all to himself—even though he is not imagining actually enslaving her—permits him to ignore any qualms he might have about honesty. Their shared loneliness is one foundation of their eventual relationship, but so are the lies that Mr. Hoppy will now begin telling.