First published 1900
Jim serves as first mate aboard the Patna, carrying hundreds of pilgrims to Mecca. When the vessel begins flooding and appears ready to sink, Jim makes a split-second decision that will haunt him forever. He jumps ship with the captain and other officers, leaving the passengers to what seems like certain death. Days later, a British vessel rescues the crew, but Jim learns the Patna stayed afloat and all passengers survived. At the official inquiry, his fellow officers flee, leaving Jim to face judgment alone. The court strips him of his certification and destroys his reputation. The story follows Jim as he moves from port to port, trying to rebuild his life while carrying the weight of his cowardice. He seeks redemption in remote outposts, but his past follows him. Conrad explores how one moment of weakness can define a man's entire existence and whether true redemption is possible after betraying one's deepest principles.
Genres: fiction, classic-literature, 20th-century, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Mecca
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
384 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics