The Clean Heart

"The Clean Heart" by A. S. M. Hutchinson is a story that follows Philip Wriford, a seemingly successful thirty-year-old man who is secretly battling inner demons. Although he appears fortunate on the outside, Wriford's visit to a woman named Brida reveals his struggles to form genuine connections and the emotional burden he carries. He is haunted by anxieties about his mental state, and the narrative emphasizes Wriford's internal conflict as he searches for self-identity while wrestling with the disarray within his own mind. He leaves Brida's home, filled with despair and fear, setting the scene for a journey with Philip and how these battles will develop within the story.