"His reading suggested a man swimming in the sea among the wreckage of his ship, and trying to save his life by greedily clutching first at one spar and then at another...."See in text(Part I)
Through metaphorical language, Chekhov likens the lawyer’s voracious reading habits to the behavior of someone who has been shipwrecked and tries to save himself by grasping at spars, or masts, of the downed ship. The metaphor suggests that the lawyer reads as if he is trying to save himself from destruction, using his books to pull himself out of the water.
"To live anyhow is better than not at all...."See in text(Part I)
In contrast to the banker, the lawyer is an intelligent young man whose tenacity drives him to pursue the bet. At the start of the story, the lawyer is 25 years old. He is heedless and impatient and wants to prove to the banker that living under any circumstance is better than dying. Readers should notice the lawyer’s behavioral changes as the story progresses.
"Capital punishment kills a man at once, but lifelong imprisonment kills him slowly...."See in text(Part I)
The banker is an authoritarian, materially-obsessed businessman who uses his power and wealth to control others. His egotism, combined with his belief that life imprisonment is inferior to capital punishment, drives the plot of the short story forward. As the story unfolds, the banker will forge the bet and use his power and wealth to prove his point.
"It is all worthless, fleeting, illusory, and deceptive, like a mirage...."See in text(Part II)
The word “mirage” refers to the effect of seeing a pool of water in the sea or desert that is actually caused by the reflection of light rays. The lawyer claims that everything seemingly worthwhile, is in effect “like a mirage.” The simile suggests that the lawyer believes all human desires are transient and fraudulent.
