on of battling nature's elements plagues Jim early in the story: "He saw himself saving people from sinking ships, cutting away masts in a hurricane, swimming through a surf with a line; or as a lonely castaway, barefooted and half naked, walking on uncovered reefs in search of shellfish to stave off starvation" (Lord Jim, 47). As all youth do, he dreams of achieving glory in the eyes of his peers; however, the extent to which Jim obsesses on this point proves his later undoing. When he is upstaged by a heroic comrade's rescue of shipwrecked men, his envy turns to scorn and self-indulgent resolve:
             He could affront greater perils. He would do so - better than anybody. Not a particle of fear left [...] Jim thought it a pitiful display of vanity. The gale had ministered to a heroism as spurious as its own pretense of terror [...] When all men flinched, then - he felt sure - he alone would know how to deal with the spurious menace of wind and seas. (Lord Jim, 49)
             Jim's confidence in himself is evident throughout the book; as we shall see, he tends not to doubt his ability to deal with adversity, even when all odds are stacked against him. The quote above, however, is more symbolic of the naiveté of youth. Inexperience in the trials of life begets unachievable goals before reality differs to agree, disillusioning those who fail to meet the task. Even so, the light-hearted outlook with which Jim faces his future at this point is evident: "The final effect [...] was that [...] he exulted with fresh certitude in his avidity for adventure, and in a sense of many-sided courage" (Lord Jim, 49). His enthusiasm towards challenges and promising competence in his area of expertise result in a potentially formidable character, foreshadowing Jim's later achievements in Patusan.
             Jim strikes our narrator Marlow as particularly formidable character, based on his appearance: "He was the kind of fell...