Lord Jim's Better Half
Lord Jim’s better half The reader encounters no sign of a woman role in the beginning and middle part of Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim. It is not until its last chapters that the reader can see a woman figure. Perhaps, the reason for late appearance of a woman in the novel is due to
Conrad’s unique style of writing. The story begins with the narration of a third person, which later in the novel Marlow takes over. The narration of the story goes back and forth; it does not start at the beginning of Jim’s story. Nevertheless, once the character of “Jewel” is introduced, the reader could observe that she is important to Jim’s character. “Jewel” is not her name is actually Jim’s nickname for her. Jewel’s character has similarities with Jim. Because of past humiliations, both characters have somehow become isolated from their societies. However, once both characters meet an immediate attraction surges that later turns into love. Their similarities and difference bring both Jim and Jewel together. On the other hand, they both forget the curse that their ancestors and society has imposed on them. Jim is a man of dreams who has been humiliated with the sinking of the Patna. He has tried to keep his head up by going to trial. People do not understand Jim; they think that like the other crewmembers of the Patna he should escape. People even think that he is stupid for staying. However, he does not see his stay is stupid, he thinks that as a man of honor he should confront the tragedy. Nevertheless, the destruction of his dreams (he will no longer be able to go into sea) leads him to live a different life; it makes him start again. Although he attempts to begin a new life, he still encounters people from his past that make him trigger horrible memories; he still keeps his code of honor. His honor would later lead him to destruction and away from Jewel. In chapter 28, Jewel’s character is introduced, Marlow presents her “I am convinced she was no ordinary woman” (Conrad
Conrad’s unique style of writing. The story begins with the narration of a third person, which later in the novel Marlow takes over. The narration of the story goes back and forth; it does not start at the beginning of Jim’s story. Nevertheless, once the character of “Jewel” is introduced, the reader could observe that she is important to Jim’s character. “Jewel” is not her name is actually Jim’s nickname for her. Jewel’s character has similarities with Jim. Because of past humiliations, both characters have somehow become isolated from their societies. However, once both characters meet an immediate attraction surges that later turns into love. Their similarities and difference bring both Jim and Jewel together. On the other hand, they both forget the curse that their ancestors and society has imposed on them. Jim is a man of dreams who has been humiliated with the sinking of the Patna. He has tried to keep his head up by going to trial. People do not understand Jim; they think that like the other crewmembers of the Patna he should escape. People even think that he is stupid for staying. However, he does not see his stay is stupid, he thinks that as a man of honor he should confront the tragedy. Nevertheless, the destruction of his dreams (he will no longer be able to go into sea) leads him to live a different life; it makes him start again. Although he attempts to begin a new life, he still encounters people from his past that make him trigger horrible memories; he still keeps his code of honor. His honor would later lead him to destruction and away from Jewel. In chapter 28, Jewel’s character is introduced, Marlow presents her “I am convinced she was no ordinary woman” (Conrad
Bibliography: Inniss, Kenneth. “Conrad’s Native Girl: Some Social Questions”. Pacific Coast Philology. 5.0 (1970): 39-45 5 Dec. 2007<http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0078-7469%28197004%295%3C39%3ACNGSSQ%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1 Thompson, Gordon. “Conrad’s Women”. Nineteenth-Century Fiction. 32.4 (1978): 442-463. 5 Dec. 2007 <http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0029-0564%28197803%2932%3A4%%3C442%3ACW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N