Character Analysis of pirate Alhaitham [Depth of the Ocean]

In general, I wanted to return to the haikaveh mermaid au, but a year later, I didn't like the plot and the characters at all, so I decided to change them. This story has Alhaitham as its deepest character. I spent a lot of time writing and rewriting it, but now I'm finally happy with how it turned out. Read it slowly and thoughtfully.

General Characteristics

- Name: Alhaitham

- Species: Human

- Age: 7 years old in childhood, around 30 years old as an adult

- Occupation: Pirate

- Main Goals: 

a. In Childhood (7+ years old, after pirate abduction): achieving freedom (with the right to make his own choices) - a desire that forms the basis of Alhaitham's philosophy.

b. In Youth (25+ years old, after gaining freedom): searching for meaning (arising from a sense of inner emptiness).

c. In Adulthood (30 years old): obsession with the mystery of mermaids and searching for them. Subjugating and possessing a mermaid, controlling a being that transcends the ordinary.

- Philosophy: Nihilism and Existentialism (Existential Nihilism):

Existentialism is an individualistic philosophy that asserts that people have free will and determine their destiny. Human beings themselves assign meaning to life in a seemingly meaningless world. Moral and value categories as well as behavioural norms existing in society hold no significance for existentialists because they are artificial constructs. Additionally, since society is seen as a construct, any belonging to a social group is conditional, according to existentialist theory. One cannot shift responsibility for oneself to others, according to the existential view.

Existential Nihilism is the belief that life lacks inherent meaning or value. Regarding the universe, existential nihilism claims that an individual or even the entire human species is insignificant, useless, and unlikely to change the overall existence.

a. Freedom: human is condemned to freedom. To be free means to bear the responsibility for the consequences of one's choices and to independently steer one's life.

b. Involvement: one must strive to find meaning on a personal level, actively analyze everyday life based on personal experience, and not disengage.

(there are no external reasons for human existence. Consequently, there are two ways out to stop living (commit suicide) or to dedicate one's life to battling the "absurdity" of the surrounding world by performing the same actions despite their ultimate meaninglessness)

Appearance

- Description: As an adult, Alhaitham is a tall and sturdy man. He has penetrating eyes reflecting his harsh character and life experiences.

- Features: His body bears numerous scars from wounds received in battles and fights, evidencing his experience and resilience.

Character and Personality Traits

- Curious and Obsessive: Alhaitham is obsessed with knowledge. From childhood, he was curious about the world he lived in, which later manifests in his obsessive search for mermaids.

- Brave and Determined: Alhaitham exhibited incredible fortitude and determination from a young age. This is initially evident in his ability to survive among pirates and later in his determination to find mermaids.

- Cruel and Ruthless: His years spent with pirates have made him cruel and ruthless, willing to do anything to achieve his goals..

- Cunning and Strategic: Having lost his family and childhood, Alhaitham has learned to rely only on himself. His tactical planning and execution make him a valuable member of the pirate crew.

- Philosophy (Nihilism): Alhaitham believes that life lacks inherent meaning or value. He views the universe as an absurd place where humans are insignificant and useless.

- Disregard for Social Norms: Alhaitham rejects conventional values and moral norms, considering them artificial and conditional, which reinforces his sense of freedom and responsibility for his life.

Life Story and Development

1. Childhood:

- Upbringing: Alhaitham was raised by his grandparents, providing him with an initial sense of love and care. His grandmother's stories about sea creatures, especially mermaids, sparked his curiosity and dreaminess, laying the foundation for his later obsession with mermaids.

- Loss: He lost his grandmother and grandfather at age 7 when their home was raided by pirates.

- Captured by pirates: Abducted by the pirates for sale into slavery, but his courage and determination convinced them to keep him on the ship.

2. Youth on the Pirate Ship:

   - First hard choice and lesson: To stay on the ship, he was given a choice. There was already a young boy in the crew whom the captain saw no potential in. The captain handed Alhaitham a knife and said there was only room for one of them. Killing the other boy was a turning point, solidifying his belief that only the strongest survive and laying the foundation for his nihilistic philosophy.

   - Hard Years: He started with the dirtiest and toughest jobs but gradually earned the respect of the captain and crew through his qualities.

   - Abuse: Older pirates bully him, and he frequently receives beatings for minor offenses.

   - Character formation:  Showing leadership qualities and strategic thinking, participating in raids and battles, became increasingly ruthless and hard.

   - Philosophy formation: Life among pirates, where every day was a struggle for survival, led to nihilism and existentialism for him. He realized that personal efforts and decisions are the only things that matter, while societal norms and values are irrelevant.

   - Tactical thinking: Alhaitham devised a successful plan to capture a merchant ship, bringing significant loot to the pirates.

   - Sense of power: In youth, Alhaitham began to understand that he enjoyed the feeling of power and superiority. He realized he felt truly alive and free only when he had control over others, taking away their freedom or even life.

3. Adulthood:

   - Cruelty and Power: Enjoying the feeling of superiority during killing and the taste of life. This sense of power becomes another source of satisfaction, temporarily filling his inner void. Due to his philosophy, he does not consider killing immoral.    

   - Thirst for Knowledge: Love learning new things, gaining knowledge, and developing plans and strategies. For him, knowledge and the pursuit of something new is more important than people.

   - Emptiness and Insomnia: Despite his achievements, Alhaitham feels an inner void. Insomnia becomes a constant companion, intensifying his sense of alienation and meaninglessness.

   - Obsession with mermaids: The idea of mermaids became his salvation from emptiness. He hoped that mermaids, being something beyond ordinary human understanding, could give him the meaning he was seeking.

Relationships

1. Grandmother: The main figure in his early childhood was a source of warmth and knowledge, which left a deep mark on his soul and shaped his early interests.

2. Pirate Captain: Became a sort of mentor, helping to shape Alhaitham's philosophy and worldview.

3. Crew: Relationships with the crew were based on fear and respect. Alhaitham learned to manipulate the crew using his cunning and strategic thinking.

4. Mermaids (especially Kaveh): Meeting Kaveh in childhood left a deep mark on his soul and became the catalyst for his obsession.

Inner Conflict

- Search for Meaning and Psychological Emptiness: Due to his thirst for knowledge, Alhaitham believed he had comprehended all human nature. He wanted to find something in human knowledge that could surprise him. After many years of searching, he still could not find it, and this led to a void in his soul until he came across a parchment with information about mermaids (?).

- Absurdity of Existence: His existential nihilism convinced him that life has no inherent meaning, and the only way to cope with this absurdity is to actively seek something beyond ordinary human experience.

- Obsession as Salvation: The search for mermaids became his way of escaping from this inner conflict. He believed that possessing and controlling a creature beyond the ordinary would give him the meaning he desperately sought.

- Power as Temporary Satisfaction: In moments when Alhaitham felt his power over others, he temporarily forgot about his inner emptiness. These moments were a brief respite from the absurdity and meaningless he constantly felt.

Significance of the Character for the Story

- Main Driving Motive: The search for a mermaid is not just a goal but a way to fill the inner void and find the meaning of life. This obsession drives all his actions and determines his behavior.

- Meaning: Alhaitham strives to find the meaning of life through the mystery of mermaids, symbolizing his struggle with existential emptiness and the absurdity of the world.