An Outcast of the Islands

Name: An Outcast of the Islands
Author: Joseph Conrad

The novel revolves around Peter Willems, a Dutch trader who returns to the island of Sambir after being exiled for his involvement in a mutiny. He seeks redemption and a chance to rejoin society, but his past mistakes continue to haunt him. Willems becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships with the island's inhabitants, including the enigmatic and ruthless trader, Herman, and the beautiful and alluring woman, Julia Branderhorst. As Willems navigates this treacherous landscape, he is forced to confront his own flaws and weaknesses, and ultimately faces a tragic downfall that serves as a commentary on the destructive nature of human greed and ambition.

By Joseph Conrad · First published 1896 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Colonial Literature · 26 chapters · 125,231 words

First lines

When he stepped off the straight and narrow path of his peculiar honesty, it was with an inward assertion of unflinching resolve to fall back again into the monotonous but safe stride of virtue as soon as his little excursion into the wayside quagmires had produced the desired effect. It was going to be a short episode -- a sentence in brackets, so to speak -- in the flowing tale of his life: a thing of no moment, to be done unwillingly, yet neatly, and to be quickly forgotten. He imagined that he could go on afterwards looking at the sunshine, enjoying the shade, breathing in the perfume of flowers in the small garden before his house. He fancied that nothing would be changed, that he would be able as heretofore to tyrannize good-humouredly over his half-caste wife, to notice with tender contempt his pale yellow child, to patronize loftily his dark-skinned brother-in-law, who loved pink neckties and wore patent-leather boots on his little feet, and was so humble before the white husband of the lucky sister. Those were the delights of his life, and he was unable to conceive that the moral significance of any act of his could interfere with the very nature of things, could dim the light of the sun, could destroy the perfume of the flowers, the submission of his wife, the smile of his child, the awe-struck respect of Leonard da Souza and of all the Da Souza family. That family's admiration was the great luxury of his life. It rounded and completed his existence in a perpetual assurance of unquestionable superiority.

What this Textopian page supports

An Outcast of the Islands is listed on Textopian as a novel by Joseph Conrad, dated 1896 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Joseph Conrad
Date: 1896 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Colonial Literature, Psychological Fiction, Drama
Length: 125,231 words
Structure: 26 chapters, 1,638 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

Good citation fit

Work identity for An Outcast of the Islands by Joseph Conrad
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering An Outcast of the Islands?
How does this novel by Joseph Conrad fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, morality, and colonialism through rich character development and intricate prose.
Adventure — The narrative involves exploration and encounters in exotic locales, highlighting the protagonist's journey and struggles.
Colonial Literature — The story critiques colonialism and its impacts on both colonizers and the colonized, reflecting the historical context of imperialism.
Psychological Fiction — The text delves into the inner thoughts and motivations of characters, examining their psychological conflicts and moral dilemmas.