Tom's Isolation In The Song Of Janus Rock

Set on an island that knows no human voices, the isolation Tom and Isabel face on Janus Rock causes them to lose their sense of morality and to make careless and socially-incorrect decisions. When they secretly decide to keep the abandoned baby, Tom is faced with a sudden unease, however the "isolation lulls him with the music of the lie". This metaphor signifies the initial effect of isolation on Tom's moral compass, as he begins to conceal the truth, ignoring moral obligation. Stedman uses another metaphor to describe the detachment of the island and refers to it as a place that "dangles off the edge of the cloth like a loose button", in which you can "live any story you want to tell yourself, and no one will say you're wrong". Consequently

After a boat washes up with a dead man and a baby inside, Tom is faced with the decision to report this incident or to keep the child. Against every part of his morals, Tom's love for Isabel forces him to keep the baby. After losing two pregnancies, he believes that he can't "deprive her of this one thing" and that above all "he must be true to his wife" and continue with the façade. He is also aware that his love is suppressing his ability to make moral decisions, as when he catches sight of his reflection, "for a moment [he does] not recognise the face" he sees. This metaphor suggests that not only is he violating the law, but he is also going against his character; a cliché of not recognising his own reflection. In contrast to Tom, the love Isabel has for her daughter blinds her to own principles as well as societal norms. When Isabel first encounters the baby, her motherly instinct kicks in, and her "belly quickens at the very sight of the baby". Following the grief of her multiple miscarriages, she feels "it is not fair that [she] has lost three babies", however believes that God has sent them the child as an indication of her prayers being answered. However, once the "child gets into [her] heart, there's no right or wrong about it", and she begins to deceive herself, ignoring the possible negative consequences of her decisions. The theme of love is shown to override the integrity of Tom and

After Tom goes against his principles and , he finds that he is hit with a manifestation of guilt, suffering nightmares and a constant "pressure in his chest". These nightmares are of Tom being pulled by Isabel (mermaid) deep into the waters of deception and immortality. Stedman uses this clichéd technique to symbolise the internal guilt Tom faces, and to foreshadow possible consequences of his immoral behaviour. However, eventually this guilt takes a toll on Tom, and he finds himself sending letters to Hannah, even when it risks him being discovered. This characterisation of Tom demonstrates to the audience that guilt can lead a person to act morally after making poor decisions. Tom's guilt is juxtaposed with Isabel, who faces no guilt or nightmares regarding her actions, oblivious to the possible consequences. However, ultimately after reading Tom's letter, she is able to feel guilt towards Tom for taking the responsibility, and her conscience forces her to comes forward to take accountability. Unlike isolation and love, which play a negative role on morality, Stedman uses foreshadowing and symbolism to allow the audience to understand that guilt, a usually negative emotion, can positively impact a person's morals.

Stedman's novel, The Light Between Oceans explores the positive