Clamence's Love of Heights

Clamence explains his profound need to feel above others, both literally and metaphorically. He preferred buses to subways, terraces to enclosed spaces, and the top decks of boats. He loved mountains and flying, and felt repulsed by caves and cellars. This desire for elevation was satisfied by his legal profession, which he felt placed him above the judge and the defendant, like a god in a theater. He saw himself as a man of the summits, living a life of impunity and light.