The End of the Tether · Question
How does The End of the Tether develop the theme of Identity and Self-Worth?
Answer
The End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad develops Identity and Self-Worth across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Captain Whalley's sense of self is inextricably tied to his profession and his ship; losing his command and his fortune forces him to confront a radically diminished identity, as he feels like 'an aimless log adrift upon the sea' without a vessel.
Whalley's identity is tied to his past fame as 'Daredevil Harry' and his discoveries, yet his current life offers little validation, forcing him to reconcile who he was with who he has become.
Whalley's sense of self is tied to ships; selling the Fair Maid feels like losing his soul, and he questions his place in the world.
Evidence in the book
- I
Whalley's identity is tied to his past fame as 'Daredevil Harry' and his discoveries, yet his current life offers little validation, forcing him to reconcile who he was with who he has become.
- III
Whalley's sense of self is tied to ships; selling the Fair Maid feels like losing his soul, and he questions his place in the world.