Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lord Jim, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Fantasy vs. Reality
Justice and Duty
Racism and Colonialism
Truth and Perspective
Summary
Analysis
After Jim hears Stein’s offer to go to Patusan, Jim feels Stein is the most wonderful man in the world. Stein introduces Jim to a man called Doramin who helped Stein with his ventures in Patusan. Stein supposedly saved Doramin’s life, which impresses Jim.
Marlow seems to see the seedier sides of Stein’s business without acknowledging them. Jim, however, seems oblivious and looks to Stein with unrestrained awe.
Themes
For the first time, Marlow gets a little sick of seeing how excitable Jim is. He tells Jim bluntly that the world doesn’t remember the Patna incident that much—it’s mostly Jim himself who remembers. Jim, however, remains so excited about going to Patusan that he doesn’t even care about having a plan to get back. Marlow warns him that he’ll definitely want to come back at some point, but Jim is too eager about going to concern himself with other details. Marlow gifts Jim a revolver with two boxes of cartridges, saying “It may help you to remain.” He corrects himself to saying “May help you to get in.”
“Remain” has a double meaning. It could mean remain alive, or it could mean remain in Patusan (by killing himself with the gun), leaving his “remains” there. The gun also foreshadows violence in Jim’s future. The gift of the gun is further evidence that Marlow realizes he’s sending Jim into a dangerous situation.
Themes
Literary Devices
Marlow accompanies Jim as he’s taken to be dropped off at the mouth of a river on the way to Patusan. As their parting approaches, Marlow drops some of the formalities he used to maintain around Jim. Despite Marlow’s reservations, he still believes that Jim’s best course of action is to go ahead. As Jim leaves, he shouts that Marlow will hear about him again.
That Marlow drops some of his familiarities around Jim suggests that in the back of his mind, a part of him is thinking this might be the last time he ever sees Jim. Perhaps it’s no accident that Stein was Marlow’s last resort and not the first person he went to when Jim needed work.
Themes
Literary Devices
