Of all the characters in Victory, Conrad admits that he “looked longest” at Lena. Almost a child of the streets, her life has known little but unmitigated sadness until Heyst enters to intervene between her and the vicious Mrs. Zangiacomo. Lena is beautiful with heavy dark hair, deep-cut lips, white […]
Read more Character Analysis LenaCharacter Analysis Axel Heyst
How does he appear to others? At the time the story begins, Heyst is about thirty-five years old. The last vestiges of youth are gone from his face. In the fullness of his physical development, with his bald head and “long red-gold moustaches,” he presents a “broad and martial appearance.” […]
Read more Character Analysis Axel HeystSummary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 14
Summary This final chapter contains Captain Davidson’s report of the Samburan affair to an “Excellency” who has called him in for an explanation. Davidson said that although he could not claim to know Heyst well (no one did), he did keep an eye on him, and when Schomberg’s wife told […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 14Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 13
Summary Mr. Jones has fired his pistol over Heyst’s shoulder. Now he dodges away and vanishes without a sound. Heyst stumbles into the room. All the objects about him seem unreal. He gazes at Lena with dread. She hides her face in her hands. All at once Wang’s queer motions […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 13Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 12
Summary This chapter flashes back to the moment when Ricardo returns to the Heyst bungalow to find Lena waiting for him. She has no intention of trying to save herself. Her whole focus is on Ricardo’s knife. She must, at any cost, disarm Ricardo and save Heyst. She holds Ricardo […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 12Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 11
Summary Mr. Jones, in an old but gorgeous blue silk dressing gown, waits for his guest. He leans like a painted pole against the desk. Between flashes of lightning, Ricardo melts away and Mr. Jones immediately places himself between Heyst and the door. He remarks that it is “awfully close.” […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 11Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 10
Summary Lena rises and passes Heyst as though blinded by “some secret, lurid, and consuming glare into which she is about to enter.” She hurries into the bedroom. Heyst has seen Pedro hanging about the bungalow door, and now he tells Ricardo that he doesn’t want Pedro around. Ricardo orders […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 10Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 9
Summary At the bungalow Lena falls into the nearest chair. Heyst examines everything from the interior of the house to the wall of forest out in front, where he imagines he sees a figure moving. Perhaps Ricardo followed them up the hill. Pedro has laid the table. Now Heyst lights […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 9Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 8
Summary Heyst and Lena go to Wang’s hut and find it newly deserted. They push on through the forest to the other side of the island where the path ends in a barricade of felled trees. The face of the obstruction is piled with fresh-cut branches, and through them several […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 8Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 7
Summary The flashback scene in the counting house continues. At the very moment when Ricardo is proposing to “plug” Heyst or “rip him up,” Heyst intrudes on the conversation to warn them about Wang. Ricardo thinks this is a trick of the Swede’s to conceal his money by pretending that […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Part 4: Chapter 7