Barbara, sits and reads, and writes impassively while the people build the tower that shall imprison her, does she care? not one wit!

It’s the ‘others’ (the Sartrian ‘others’ of hell-making fame) who picture the tower as the hateful incarnation of asocial reclusiveness. They banish Barbara to it as the punishment for her worldliness, knowledge and curiosity.

They rebuke the ever-caricatured philosopher for hiding in his ivory tower, because they do not admit of someone who does not behave just like everyone else, clocking off at 5 and heading over to the pub or similarly potato-couching activities.

The tower is a construction of fear and loathing of which the tranquil and soul-filled person cannot possibly have any fear.