Lord Jim, written by Joseph Conrad, is a novel about a man named Jim and his adventures as a sea clerk and boat captain. Jim is a young man with big dreams. He dreams of being a hero on the seas. However, when he is given the chance to prove himself, he makes bad choices which lands him in a difficult situation. He, however, is lucky to meet a kind man named Marlow who decides to be Jim’s buddy and help him out. Throughout the rest of the story about Jim’s adventures, he comes across many people who call Jim a hero. Though Jim may be witnessed and called a hero by many, his actions show that he isn’t as heroic as people claim he is.
Being a hero doesn’t mean having everyone worship you; being a hero means impacting others in a positive way through courage and bravery. Jim may be worshiped for his actions that may seem big, however, those actions don't impact anyone else but him. Being a hero means your actions not only impact yourself but reflect upon the people around you and your surroundings in a positive way. Throughout the whole book, Jim may have done some pretty impressive things, but none of which left a legacy behind. Being a major action figure and popular dude is way different than being a hero. Jim may have gotten the popularity he wanted, but he isn’t quite close to becoming a hero. Being a hero is a hard thing to do as it requires many characteristics of life that are hard to achieve including courage, bravery, and a big heart.
Being able to react in a way noble of a hero is difficult in many situations which is why those who do should be acknowledged. During difficult situations, most people would panic then try and save themselves. Heroes, however, are those who prioritize others over themselves and try to make the most out of what they have. Ever heard of the phrase “Every man for themselves”? Well, that was Jim when he decided to ditch the people aboard the Patna just so he could be safe. That incident certainly wasn’t a very hero-like action by Jim. Jim’s reaction to reality is constantly saving himself first before worrying about others which is why he will never be able to be a hero. Being a hero means having a good reaction to reality and acting in a selfless way.
Correcting big mistakes from the past is a big effort and one needs the right conscience and courage to do so. Sometimes, it also depends on the type of person you are and how you react during tough scenarios. Jim just doesn’t happen to be that type of person. During the Patna incident, Jim escaped the boat ditching his passengers. If that incident was to happen again, would Jim help the passengers and be selfless and worry about himself later? Probably not. That just isn’t the type of person Jimmy is. Sure, some may back Jim up by saying that he would save others, but reality is, he wouldn’t. He would, yet again, ditch the people aboard and worry about himself. This causes Jim to feel guilty. Guilt comes when one does something wrong, but when given the chance to “redo” and prove themselves, many ignore it and proceed with what they did in the past.
Jim has numerous problems that prevent him from achieving heroic deeds which prevents him from becoming a hero. Being a hero isn’t a simple thing for the process of becoming a hero is like a pyramid. One factor that prevents Jim from being a hero is his complex personality. Jim needs to learn how to balance his wants and reality. Jim is often blinded by his dreams and wants and ignores and forgets about reality which is why he is romantic in a way not associated with love. Jim also needs to learn how to face reality. He tends to just escape from it or just save himself which isn’t a very heroic action/deed. Jim also doesn’t learn anything from his previous incidents. He just isn’t the type of person to place others before himself. Though some may argue that Jim is a hero, it is hard to say after analyzing Jim’s complex personality and agree that Jim is truly a hero.
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