In the graphic novel version of ‘Kidnapped’ by Robert Louis Stevenson (adapted by Alan Grant, illustrated by Cam Kennedy), the protagonist gets… yes, kidnapped. For most of the story, he is portrayed as severely disturbed by having been betrayed by his only uncle. Even after he breaks free from his kidnappers, he is still uneasy, as he shies from potential enemies and plots his way towards exacting revenge. He makes what seems to be a good friend along the way, who helps him to seek justice. However, he isn’t totally sure that this ally would betray too. Towards the end of the story, after he manages to get ‘sweet’ vengeance and his just fortune with his unconditional help, they part ways. His ally leaves without saying much, and unrewarded.
Despite having gotten more than what he expected in the first place, the protagonist wasn’t really happy. The story narrates so – ‘But I felt so lost and alone that I could have sat down by the roadside and wept like a baby… I felt cold inside, as if I was to blame for something that was wrong.’ I would like to interpret it that what he let get kidnapped was not him per se, but his sense of peace, which even made him suspicious of everyone, to lose his sense of gratitude to those he could trust. He had lost a true friend. Whatever plights we fall into, we must try hard to never lose our peace of mind, and our faith in humanity. Even the Buddhas don’t lose their faith in the worst of us, because they clearly see that we have Buddha-nature, that we can all become Buddhas like them.
When we lose faith in humanity,
we lost faith in our humanity.– Stonepeace
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