The Stranger in the Woods

The North Pond residents and media affix the label of “hermit” unto Knight, giving him the romantic appeal of someone abandoning the arbitrary demands of society and devoting himself to personal interests. This includes Finkel, who reports on isolated communities and enjoys solitary running and hiking as personal hobbies.

Finkel discusses a broad range of hermit-like figures that include famous authors, artists, scientists, and philosophers who can achieve historic advances despite their introversion. Great religions both East and West have their origins in people who achieve a spiritual awakening while in isolation, and people like Tenzin Palmo and Knight seem to access serenity by abandoning all other ties. Finkel’s research unearths tidbits that readers may not know, such as the house hermit fad of the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, Japanese hikikomori and the Hermitary website demonstrate how the lifestyle has adapted to modern times.

This idealization, however, contrasts with the realities of the Knight case. Knight makes it clear that he doesn’t care for the label, has no spiritual calling, and criticizes figures like Thoreau. From both a clinical perspective and his own admission, he has profound communication issues and takes an extreme course of action to minimize contact with others.