Comment on "The Lagoon."

The main theme of the story is that death is inescapable, humans often have the illusion that through 'true love' nothing can touch us, and that love makes one whole. In order to succeed in life, one must overcome these illusions.

Man does not contemplate the mortality of life when blinded by youth and courage. The guilt which will inevitably haunt Arat over this unforgivable act betrayal of is veiled by the illusion that love is worth fighting and sacrificing for. Arat, like all men, clung to the illusion of Utopia and “a country where death is forgotten—where death is unknown” (Conrad, 1897) with Diamelen, and later finds that the guilt of his betrayal both to his Rajah and his brother would hang over him like the darkness of the night or the ghosts which the crew believed would perpetually haunt his dwelling. In an insight into the heart of man, Arat states “What did I care who died? I wanted peace in my own heart” (Conrad, 1897). The illusion of peace is an idea which Conrad would be well versed in; a man who led life of torment, who allegedly unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide at a young age, who saw the very animalistic nature of man during his years exploring the uncharted colonies of Great Britain in the Navy and was the victim of a torrid love affair himself.