"There is no worse enemy and no better friend than a brother." In "The Lagoon," Joseph Conrad uses a literary device called a story within a story. Conrad executes this device through the main character, Arsat. Arsat's narration gives us his own view of the events that lead to his isolated life. Throughout the story, Arsat feels guilt/shame, anger and acceptance. By means of psychological analysis, an in-depth look at the emotions fluctuating in Arsat's head will be looked at.
             One who betrays a loved one, especially a loved one who helps his siblings out, must feel ashamed of his or her actions. The gravity of Arsat's guilt greatens because the reason for his betrayal (Diamelen) ends up dying. He realizes that his brother has died in vain, for he could not enjoy the company of the fruit of their labor for very long. The remorseful brother recalls his life-changing event to Tuan. He says, "I pushed out the canoe! I pushed it into the deep water" (p. 835), in such a way as to convey to Tuan that he did not realize the abandonment of his brother until too late. The most agonizing moment for Arsat occurs when his brother calls three times and he hears "a great shriek, as when life is going out together with the voice" (p. 835) emanating from his brother. Arsat feels so contrite that he wants to "find a country where death is forgotten, where death is unknown" (p. 835). However, Arsat mentions Diamelen's presence in the canoe with him, "was she n!
             ot there in that canoe?" (p. 835). Perhaps by saying this, he tries to justify his betrayal by saying how he was in love at the time. Furthermore, he says, "Three times he called–but I was not afraid of life" (p. 835), which shows his fear of death. He goes on to say "I had her there! I had her! To get her I would have faced all mankind. But I had her–and –" a...