
Chance
'Chance' Summary
Chance is narrated by Conrad's regular narrator, Charles Marlow, along with other narrators, who take up the complex narrative at different points. The novel is also unusual among its author's works for such strong emphasis on a female character: the heroine, Flora de Barral.
The narrators attempt to interpret various episodes in the life of Miss de Barral, the daughter of a convicted swindler named Smith de Barral. Miss de Barral leads a sheltered life for as long as her father is prosperous, but at other times must rely on the generosity of others, who resent her or have agendas for her, before she escapes by marrying one Captain Anthony. Much of the book involves the musing of the various narrators over what she and the Captain expected from this union, and what they actually got from it. When her father is released from prison, he joins them on the ship, and the book heads towards its denouement. Breaking away from tradition, Chance deals with social issues surrounding feminism and financial speculation, involving Mrs. Fyne and Flora de Barral, as presented by the various narrators. The storyline oscillates between human will and purposeful activity and an opposing "apathetic" force which nullifies the importance of human action.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1913Authors

Joseph Conrad
Poland, England
Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, was a Polish-British writer regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language. Though he did not speak English flu...
Books by Joseph ConradDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The story is set in Padua, Italy, in a distant and unspecified past, possibly in the sixteenth century, after the Paduan Botanical Garden had been fou...

Rachel Gray by Julia Kavanagh
In the heart of bustling Victorian London, amidst the throngs of people and the clamor of city life, Rachel Gray stands as a beacon of quiet strength...

The Hungry Stones And Other Stories by Rabindranath Tagore
'The Hungry Stones and Other Stories' is a collection of thirteen soul-stirring short stories by Tagore. Each and every one of the stories is aestheti...

Ben Pepper by Margaret Sidney
Ben Pepper is a heartwarming and nostalgic tale of a young boy's adventures and the power of family. It follows Ben as he navigates the challenges and...

What She Said and What She Meant, and People Who Haven't Time and Can't Afford It by Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden)
This book explores the themes of miscommunication, gossip, and its destructive consequences. The first story, "What She Said and What She Meant," foll...

Chaperon by Henry James
In Henry James's "The Chaperon," Rose Tramore confronts a societal dilemma. Her mother's questionable past casts a shadow over their family, leading t...

Down the Bayou by Mary Ashley Townsend
Down the Bayou is a collection of poems by Mary Ashley Townsend that captures the essence of life in the Louisiana bayou. The poems explore themes of...

Baseball Joe at Yale by Lester Chadwick
Baseball Joe, the star player from high school, is now at Yale University, where he faces new challenges on and off the field. Baseball Joe at Yale i...

Lucky Piece: A Story of the North Woods by Albert Bigelow Paine
In the enchanting Adirondack Mountains, a simple act of kindness sets in motion a web of interwoven destinies. A young man, devoid of funds, offers hi...

The Tale of Grumpy Weasel by Arthur Scott Bailey
Meet Grumpy Weasel, the most disagreeable creature in the Green Forest. He's always grumbling and complaining, and he makes everyone around him misera...
Reviews for Chance
No reviews posted or approved, yet...