To-morrow

"To-morrow" by Joseph Conrad is a novella that was likely written in the early 20th century. This literary work explores themes of hope, delusion, and the human condition through the story of Captain Hagberd, an aging and eccentric man who believes relentlessly that his long-lost son will return home "to-morrow." The narrative unfolds in a small seaside town where Hagberd's obsession with waiting for his son reveals deeper insights into human relationships and the nature of reality versus illusion. The plot centers on Captain Hagberd, who has set up a life in Colebrook after searching extensively for his son, Harry, who disappeared years ago. His delusion manifests in his daily life where he prepares for his son's return with earnest zeal, sharing his dreams with the local girl Bessie Carvil, who finds herself drawn to his oddly hopeful nature despite sensing its madness. As the story progresses, we see Bessie struggle with her own longings for a life beyond her mundane existence and her oppressive father, while Harry actually returns in a rather undramatic and unlikeable fashion, shattering Hagberd's dreams. The story intertwines both the characters' dreams and the harsh realities they face, ultimately presenting a poignant commentary on the illusion of hope and the crushing weight of disappointment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and although he did not speak English fluently until his twenties, he became a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature. He wrote novels and stories, many in nautical settings that depict crises of human individuality in the midst of what he saw as an indifferent, inscrutable and amoral world.