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Revision Notes on Joseph Conrad's LORD JIM
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Revision Notes on Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim
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Lord Jim – Joseph ConradSummary of the novel:
Jim is a chief mate on the steamship, Patna. During a voyage towards Mecca, with its cargo of
pilgrims, the ship strikes a submerged object. Watching the small crew lowering a lifeboat to
save their own skins, Jim appears to be an idealistic onlooker but then, impulsively; he jumps.
The significance of this action is the pivotal point of the novel. The action moves to Aden, where
the narrator, Marlow, observes Jim at the Court of Inquiry. Ironically; and contrary to the crew's
belief, the Patna had not sunk; Jim is the only one, among the entire crew, who has decided to
face the official ramifications of his actions. Marlow is interested in Jim's private consciousness
of disgrace; being stripped of his Master's certificate proves to be a public, but not a spiritual
atonement. With Marlow's assistance, Jim moves through a variety of jobs ashore, but the
promise of real freedom 'talkers' (those who know of his blemished reputation) is provided only
by a position as agent at the remote trading post of Patusan.
Jim's life at Patusan, recalled by Marlow, has an active and practical perspective: to the
people, including the elderly chief Doramin, he is Tuan, or Lord Jim. His relationship with the
woman he calls Jewel, stepdaughter of his corrupt predecessor, contributes to his partial
happiness. This is violently disrupted by the arrival of Gentleman Brown and his fellow thieves.
Jim vows to Doramin that Brown will leave the island without bloodshed; he is proved horribly
wrong. Doramin's son is killed as a result of Jim's misplaced trust in Brown. Taking responsibility
for his action, Jim allows himself to be shot by an angry and grieving Doramin.
Author’s Note
“When this novel first appeared in book form a notion got about that I had been bolted away with.
Some reviewers maintained that the work starting as a short story had got beyond the writer’s control.
One or two discovered internal evidence of the fact, which seemed to amuse them. They pointed out
the limitations of the narrative form. They argued that no man could have been expected to talk all that
time, and other men to listen so long. It was not, they said, very credible.
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