Heroism

Heroism is another major theme in the book. In addition to Jim's early heroic daydreams, Marlow also notes some "heroism" in Patusan's past, when the demand for pepper was such that men would "cut each other's throats without hesitation. . . . the bizarre obstinacy of that desire made them defy death in a thousand shapes.... it made them heroic." Of course, these are not the heroes of legend, or even of Jim's daydreams, who put their lives on the line for good deeds. For these men, the motivation is "mere greed," not altruism. However, Jim himself does exhibit the true kind of heroism that he aspires to do. After he has been staying with the Bugis Malays in Patusan for a while, he gets a vision one night of how he can conquer the other warring tribes and thus bring peace to the island. Although "he had to drive it...