Thomas Wharton Icefield Summary

The concept of happiness is seen to be broad and is often overused in today’s society. In some cases, it can be used to describe precious moments of pure joy or even moments where one finds excitement in pursuing a self-chosen career. However, there will never be one set definition to describe this feeling. After all, life is fleeting and brief moments of joy quickly pass us by. With such a precious and limited amount of time in our lives, it is crucial to spend our lives doing something that we love. In Icefields by Thomas Wharton, the author illustrates the importance of finding a calling that we truly care about. In Icefields, we are introduced to Dr. Byrne, a botanist and doctor who tragically falls into a crevasse while visiting the icefields
He states that “One of the reasons I write is my fascination with the complexity of life around us at any moment of our lives… how all these things pass into the past so quickly, leaving us with just traces to hang onto.” Wharton’s views on life and the past can be seen in the character Byrne, who often reminisces about the past. Some of Byrne’s memories involve his mother, his seizures as a child, and his discovery of the angel artifact in the ice. These life-changing experiences seem quick and instantaneous to the memory, again illustrating just how quick life can pass us by. Wharton further describes his thoughts on the passage of time when he talks about his “fascination with the way things slip into the past and then we're left with trying to put together bits and pieces that we choose from the past… what is time, and how does it flow, and why does it seem to flow at different rates at different times in our lives.” It is also clear from this source that Wharton has a passion for the mountains and glaciers where “Icefields” is set. Wharton spent several years living in Jasper, and talks about this location in the interview, showing both fascination and knowledge in the subject. I believe that in creating Dr. Edward Byrne, Wharton infused a little bit of himself into the character. In “Icefields”, following the crevasse incident, Byrne dedicates the rest of his life to his passion – the icefields and the angel. Similarly, Wharton wrote a book about Jasper and the mountains, a place he once called his home. It is clear that Wharton has a genuine love for the location he decided to set “Icefields” in. Both men dedicate their professional lives on a subject that they were passionate about and intrigued by. Given Wharton’s love of the mountains and his fascination with the seemingly quick