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acter in Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Sharer" This essay examines Leggatt as an independent person, rather than as a symbol connected to the captain-narrator, a view shared by many critics. Leggatt is not a negative influence on the captain per se. From an obj ....

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.... either the antagonist or provides a criminal influence on the captain. By no means are Leggatt's decisions and actions exemplary. Murdering mutinous crew members is hardly an acceptable practice, and avoiding justice, and one's punishment—all of which Leggatt do—only worsen the issue. The captain claims that in swimming to the island Koh-ring, his double had "lowered himself into the water to take his punishment" (Conrad 193). However, as Cedric Watts argues, this is only true because Leggatt, by escaping justice, will face an uncertain future marooned on an island (134). In reality, Leggatt is doing the opposite; he is lowering ....