The Snark | "Who is the Third Person Who Walks Beside You?”

"Who is the Third Person Who Walks Beside You?”: Shackleton, Eliot, and the Lost Art of Hangry Hallucinations

Shackleton: Antarctic Survival, Divine Intervention, and British High School Pride

Let's start with Ernest Shackleton: legendary explorer, Antarctic conqueror, and, as it happens, a fellow alumnus of Tim’s very own high school. While some schools give you science labs or rugby stars, the British churn out polar survivalists who find their sanity by walking with imaginary friends. Shackleton’s story is famous for a reason—stranded in Antarctic ice, he and his team rowed and trekked across the snow with basically nothing but a prayer and a stiff upper lip. Somewhere along the way, Shackleton began to sense a “third person” with him, a silent but steady figure who he figured was some kind of divine assistant (Jesus? An overqualified angel? Take your pick).

Of course, if you’re about to freeze to death on a glacier with barely enough rations to keep a hamster going, it’s not surprising your brain starts to pull out all the stops. Enter this mysterious “third person” who doesn’t talk, doesn’t help carry your bags, but manages to remind you to keep trudging along the icy path. Divine support? Possibly. But let’s face it—at the end of the day, this “extra guy” is probably just Shackleton’s subconscious trying to save his skin.

T.S. Eliot: Poet Laureate of Doom and a Borrowed Ghostly Companion

Shackleton wasn’t the only one captivated by the idea of a ghostly pal. Enter T.S. Eliot, the king of bleak poetry, who borrowed the notion for his famous work The Waste Land. Not one to miss a good dose of existential dread, Eliot asks:

"Who is the third who walks always beside you? 

When I count, there are only you and I together 

But when I look ahead up the white road 

There is always another one walking beside you."

Only Eliot could turn a half-imagined companion into an unnerving presence looming on a “white road” to nowhere. For him, Shackleton’s “third person” isn’t a friendly angel; it’s a haunting reminder of loneliness, like one of those strange dreams where you’re walking in circles, haunted by regrets. Eliot’s third person isn’t here to help you—he’s here to make you doubt your grip on reality. Shackleton thought he was receiving divine help; Eliot seems to think this “third person” is just your psyche’s way of saying, “Look how miserable you are. I brought popcorn.”

Divine Hangry Syndrome or an Overactive Imagination?

Which brings us to the question: were these poor guys experiencing divine hallucinations, or just an extreme case of hangry syndrome? Shackleton was starving, freezing, and scraping by on the kind of rations that would make a squirrel protest. In that state, is it so wild to think your brain might conjure up a companion? It’s less “divine intervention” and more “my stomach thinks I’m dead, so here’s a ghost friend to cheer me up.” Why this “third person” never brought an imaginary sandwich or offered to carry a bag is the real mystery here.

And let’s be real—humans tend to see “guides” in tough times, whether it’s an apparition, a guardian angel, or, in modern times, some motivational quote on Instagram. Shackleton might’ve felt genuinely supported by his invisible friend, but his body was just trying to survive. And yet, the idea sticks around. When things go dark, we’ll grab onto just about anything to pull us through—even an imaginary buddy who doesn’t even offer to split the load.

Writers, Take Note: Imaginary Friends Aren’t Just for Kids

Writers, let’s talk. This whole “third person” bit is gold for character development. Imagine a character facing down their darkest hour, and bam—an unseen figure appears, dragging them through the misery. Is it divine intervention? Hallucination? Existential breakdown? Who cares—it’s great storytelling. A third person hovering in the background can make your character’s psyche pop, adding a layer of mystery and emotional depth that’s way more fun than the usual pep talks.

And don’t stop at the angelic friend. Maybe the “third person” is the ghost of their worst regret or the manifestation of everything they’re trying to escape. If your protagonist’s in a tight spot, drop a shadowy figure in to make things even worse. Give them a companion who might be there to save the day or maybe just rub salt in the wound. It’s a classic: are they being haunted by support, by guilt, or by whatever random thought their brain conjures up when they’re absolutely done?

Next time you’re putting a character through their paces, toss in a “third person” for a little mental chaos. After all, if a spectral monkey on their back doesn’t make for good drama, what does? And if nothing else, it’s the perfect companion when your character’s just a little too hangry to make good choices.

The Snark