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
One night on the journey of the Patna, all is still, and Jim feels at peace. He paces and looks around at the passengers. He dreams more of the heroic things he would do if he got the chance. He also finds the ship’s other officers repulsive and ugly in various ways, and many of them drink a lot. Suddenly, despite the seeming calm, the ship jerks. There’s a low rumble like thunder that builds for a moment while the boat quivers, then it all stops.
The calm sea reflects the dreamy nature of Jim's fantasies about being a hero. But just as Jim’s leg was injured by a falling spar when Jim least expected it, his fantasies here are interrupted by an unseen obstacle that collides with the boat. While lost in fantasy, Jim is oblivious to real dangers around him.
Themes
Literary Devices
