Jim Grandpa

Author: Conrad
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The protagonist of the story, Jim, seems to have lived only to make one mistake and died for another. In reality, he made only one unforgettable mistake—a jump. Before this jump, he was the first mate of the Patna, a young and ambitious man determined to make a name for himself in the world. During a voyage, when the Patna was about to sink, fully loaded with passengers, he despised the officers, led by the captain, for their reckless scramble for the limited lifeboats without caring about the passengers' lives and refused to associate with them. He resolved to share the hardship with all the passengers. However, at the critical moment, he was terrified and overwhelmed by chaos, and the fatal jump occurred under the impulse of his instincts. In the end, he jumped into the very companions he had despised. But the Patna did not sink, and the irresponsible individuals involved were tried and convicted of dereliction of duty, losing their sailing certificates. To escape public opinion, Jim fled from place to place until he lived in harmony with a group of nearly isolated indigenous people, earning their respect and becoming a "grandfather." However, at the height of his triumph, he confessed his mistake and took responsibility, staging a tragic scene.