Escape from Civilization

The book contrasts the stifling, artificial world of London commerce with the raw, elemental life of the tropics. Colet finds liberation and a sense of reality in the jungle, away from the 'game' of business and the hollow social rituals of the city.

Colet's departure from London and his boarding of the Altair represent a deliberate break from his former life and societal constraints.

Colet's desire to 'smash the cage' and his attraction to the ship and the river symbolize a longing to escape the constraints of modern urban life.

Colet's journey into the dark, forgotten parts of London represents an attempt to escape the civilized world and its consequences, seeking refuge in the anonymity of the city's underbelly.

Colet sees himself as a detached polyp from London's reef, contemplating independence and escape.