The End of the Tether · Theme

Identity and Self-Worth

How The End of the Tether develops Identity and Self-Worth.

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.

Where it surfaces

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.