Chance: A Tale in Two Parts

"Chance: A Tale in Two Parts" by Joseph Conrad is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around Charles Powell, a young man eager to embark on his maritime career as a second mate. The narrative delves into themes of opportunity, responsibility, and the intersection of fate and human desires, showcasing Powell’s initial experiences and interactions with characters who shape his outlook on life. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Powell during a dinner at a riverside inn, where he meets a fellow yachtsman who shares reminiscences of life's challenges and the importance of responsibility at sea. This man, who also bears the name Powell, incites contemplation in the young sailor about his aspirations and the realities of pursuing a maritime career. Following a series of chance encounters and illuminating conversations, Powell finds himself looking to secure a position aboard a ship named the "Ferndale", undergoing both the anticipation and anxiety of stepping into the unknown world of seafaring life, thus capturing the essence of the human condition in the face of life's arbitrary turns. (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.