The Commander's Decision Effect Essay

Commander’s Decision Effects The short story “The Tale” by Conrad is a third person narrative, and Commander, the protagonist, believes in his suspicion and makes a supreme decision leads the Northman to a deadly course. However, the Commander is described as, “She knew his passion for truth, his horror of deceit, his humanity” (17). The Commander is a man of strong principle, and he has “…sincerity—frankness—passion” (5). He suspects the Northman is violating neutrality by supplying an enemy submarine, so he sends them the wrong course straight to the deadly rock The commander‘s supreme test has a huge impact on himself. After all, the Commander loses his sense of balance and subtle distinction, gains ambiguity, and changes his certainty

First, the Commander prejudices the Northman Captain, so he loses his sense by judging the Northman’s appearance and behaviors. He sees, “The master rather a fine specimen of a Northman, civil enough, but appeared to have been drinking. Seemed to be recover-ing from a regular bout of it” (10). The Northman is drunk and suspicious, but the Commander can’t detect any evidence of the Northman’s violation. Therefore, he can’t execute the Northman yet. He thinks, “Receive some mysterious communication which would turn his invincible suspicions into a certitude strong enough to provoke action with all its risks?” (11). Again, he prejudges the Northman because of the Northman’s ambiguous behaviors. “His hands were rammed deep into the pockets of his short leather jacket…as though afraid of being seized by them either in friendship or in hostility… The Northman let himself fall on it, his hands still in his pockets.” Again, The Northman looks very mysterious which make the Commander more doubtful. Next, the Commander loses his subtle distinction because he is too doubtful about the Northman. At first, the Northman claims, “What I mean is I don’t know where I am” (11). The