Professions as Lifestyles

Joseph Conrad, throughout the course of various stories, has explored seamanship. As a preface to a collection of his works, Conrad stated “Men earning their bread in any very specialized occupation will talk shop, not only because it is the most vital interest of their lives but also because they have not much knowledge of other subjects. They have never had the time to get acquainted with them. Life, for most of us, is not so much a hard as an exacting taskmaster.” The biggest example to the “taskmaster” referred to in this quote is of course, the seamen that take part in many of Conrad’s tales. Of the two we have read in class, both show qualities that reflect this idea of “exacting taskmaster.” Seaman in general are devout; seamanship is not a profession for them but a lifestyle, such people as Marlow and Captain McWhirr, “observe at the same time that (they) hate(d) going ashore.” Their profession, has become their life. What else can they do but “talk shop” all the time?
Marlow is a one character that we can observe from two points of view. Both from his days as a master seamen, one who has traveled the seas of the world and the man he was way back in his youth. These men are not the same; the old Marlow, complacent and reminiscent of his past days as a young a man, the young Marlow, full of joy and life. Even though throughout the storyline Marlow states repeatedly that he wishes to be a young man, he never does realize what his youth as a seamen has brought him. He is wise and experienced with the sea; he knows more about the east than anyone around him at the time. Marlow is experienced and he is an “exacted taskmaster.” Even though he does seem to realize this fact, his experiences have brought him a great deal of knowledge. The sea has not only become the most vital interest of his life, but it has become Marlow’s life indeed. Marlow does not signal other knowledge about other areas of life in the tale yet, he is glad, he does not care for any other areas of life.
Marlow’s willingness to work in the hardest times has proven him to be a valiant man and has added excessively to his knowledge in the sea. The fact that he does not give up in the face of hardships he faces in the plot of Youth, shows that he is willing to do anything to excel in his area, mirrors the idea of Conrad’s quote. Even when “engaged in grave digger’s work” Marlow strives to become the better sailor. As he strives further, instead of being discouraged, the disastrous events they face only reinforce his feelings of youth. “Morally it was worse than pumping for life. It seemed as though we had been forgotten by the world, belonged to nobody, and would go nowhere…” is what he thinks at his darkest time of the trip He is still optimistic because Marlow is glad to be excelling in his line of work. The compassion he feels towards Judea is impeccable as displayed in the lines “I would have just as soon have abused the old village church at home for not being a cathedral.” His compassion never leaves him throughout his voyage to the east even when he becomes the first mate on the rescue boat, he takes his job seriously. It is these experiences that help him move forward in his profession. What better way is there than learning from first-hand experience of the vast seas?
Captain McWhirr on the other hand tells us straight off that he does not value book-learning in his lines “It’s only to let you see, Mr. Juke, that you don’t find everything in books.” and “There are things you find nothing about in books.” Even though he is considered a dull man by the Nan-Shan crew, I believe they are mistaken. These lines show that McWhirr is not a bookworm but excels in his line of work by using first-hand experience. After all how many men could live to tell the story of his voyage inside a circular storm? Captain McWhirr relies on his instincts as a seaman and not solely on books that give formulaic information to the reader. And in his actions there is great wisdom about profession and what Conrad referred to in his statement. He is merely a seamen and nothing else. He would in fact be otherwise dull and prosaic. His relying on experience brings him more than man can expect to get from books. He has achieved his exactment through life itself and of course this has brought a large variety of achievements as a seamen.
Man has passion. His passion can be directed in many areas of life but there is but one area man can flourish to the full extent. This area shapes who they are and tells us more about the man than anything else. Men like Marlow and Captain McWhirr are such men that have adopted seamanship as a lifestyle. They know only the ways of the sea and the wind but that is enough to make them happy with their life. What other achievement can man ask for but to be able follow his passion and exact as a taskmaster?