SOURCE: "The Secret Sharer: Affirmation of Action," in Joseph Conrad: Consciousness and Integrity, New York University Press, 1988, pp. 80-97.

In the following excerpt, Ressler offers his interpretation of "The Secret Sharer," noting that the exploration of individual morality is Conrad's major concern in the story.

In late November, early December 1909, Conrad put aside the unfinished Under Western Eyes, which he had been working on for the past two years, and began "The Secret Sharer," completing it in less than a month. He then resumed Under Western Eyes and brought it to an end; the typescript is dated "End. 22 Jan. 1910." Even more than the overlapping period of composition, internal evidence suggests a special relationship between the short story and the end of the novel. For psychological and creative reasons, to relieve the burden of consciousness and find release and inspiration in self-affirming action, it was essential for Conrad to...