Since there is a great interest in disaster stories and the motion picture Titanic (1997) has been a great commercial success, readers may wish to consider the nature of typhoons in the China seas.

Certainly Conrad's novella provides a fine description of a ship wallowing in the wind and seas caused by a typhoon.

Another approach might be to discuss the relationship between Captain MacWhirr and the ship owners and the nature of their conveyance of the Chinese workers back to China. Is the story related to the imperialism of the day? If so, how?

And what are the different attitudes revealed by the Captain and the crew toward the Chinese? Are they guilty of racism, or merely a European sense of patronizing superiority?

1. What are MacWhirr's strengths and weaknesses as a captain? How does Conrad make us aware of them?

2. What is the actual strength of...