What does Walter think and feel during the scene at the well? Why doesn't he tell Rosanna until many years later?

What does Walter think and feel during the scene at the well? What do his decisions at that moment say about his own personality and the circumstances of the times? Why doesn't he tell Rosanna about it until many years later?

When the wood platform gives way and Walter falls through and almost into the well, he ponders whether he should just let go, sink into the water and let his life go. But he can't bring himself to do it. He still has too much to live for; he's not ready to give up, and he doesn't want to leave Rosanna in the untenable position his sudden and untimely death would create. He knows he can pull himself out, and he resolutely does it. He never tells Rosanna because he doesn't want to worry her, doesn't want to explain his feelings, doesn't want to hear her lecture him on the danger of the rotten platform.

I think Walter met the vision of the end of everything he knows and cares for. He has never been expressive in any way that requires demonstrative action. His silence is so normal that those around him know instinctively if the silence is one of approval, dislike, anger or love. He was scared and knew he may not make it but he dug deep and pulled himself out. I believe there is a part of Walter that would love to drop all of his responsibilities and go out on his own with no ties that bind him to anything. All of that flooded into him when he fell and I think it took him years to be able to understand what he thought and felt that day.

Cheri, I loved the use of the word flooded in your description. I felt exactly like you. It would have been so easy to just let go but that also scared him as he is such a reliable character . Falling through was almost a metaphor for failing in his activities and it was something he did not want to face.

I think Walter was conflicted. It would be so easy to let go and fall into the well and die. He has had a hard life and with that all his troubles would disappear. But then he thinks of Rosanna and what that would do to her and the children and how would that leave them with having to deal with the farm. So, maybe a little guilt plays into it and he realizes he should keep living for his family's sake. Thus, he pulls himself up. He doesn't tell Rosanna about it because she would just be worried about him every time he would go out and maybe not come back on time.

Letting go would solve his problems but leave behind all those problems for Rosanna. I think it scared him to realize that to live or die was his choice and he couldn't talk about it until he figured out why he even considered giving up.

I agree. He was beyond scared and confused!

I also agree with joanp. Walter was both scared and confused by the fact the idea of letting go and dying even occurred to him. He had so resolutely gone about his life with the attitude that life is hard but that is farming. When he flirted with death it made him realize that he wasn't happy with how hard his life was. He felt emotions he had never let himself feel before. I think he buried those emotions for years after the accident because they were too difficult to reconcile with the life he must lead.

Walter was tempted to just let go and end all the frustrations and fears of his hard life. I think he just felt that he couldn't do that to his family. He probably felt too guilty to admit to Rosanna that he was having those thoughts. Once things had become easier in their lives (the children were grown and doing well) he could talk about it and knew he had made the right decision.