Dr. Heidegger's Experiment: Character Analysis

Despite how easy it may be to misconstrue Dr. Heidegger’s intentions for evil, he truly is a kind hearted man with a passion that drives his dedication for the work he does. Dr. Heidegger wants nothing more than to analyze his friends for the sake of experiment. There is no hostility or alterior motive. Before they begin, he states, “With your permission, therefore, I will merely watch the progress of the experiment.” There is not a clearer way to articulate the intentions he has to observe the effects of the elixir. Dr. Heidegger even gives a fair warning to his friends that they would benefit from this experiment if they went into it with a set of guidelines in order to prevent the repetition of tragedy. Colenal Killigrew, Mr. Gascoin, and Widow Wycherly all see this as an experience while Dr. Heidegger’s excitement lies in the fact that he created a completely original experiment and has the honor to execute it using people he is close to. It is true that from this process Dr. Heidegger learned a very valuable lesson, however, his friends were more than just guinea pigs to him. In his eyes, a lesson cannot be learned without proper steps. This logic should not be confused with the idea that he wants any harm or misery plaved on his subjects. In the mind of a great man of science like Dr. Heidegger there is no hidden purpose to his actions, there is simply a plan, an observation, an analysis, and a conclusion. His morals are unsoiled, there is not much more a scientist needs than a successful experiment.