Subconscious Rising
1. The Secret Sharer is a double story. It is a double story because it focuses on two main characters that are extremely in several ways. Theses similarities include not only they’re Physical appearance but go deeper into who they really are. One of the biggest similarities that the two share is their presence on the ship. Several times the Captain mentions that Leggatt is no more a stranger on the boat than the Captain is. Also when Leggatt asks about the second mate, the Captain admits he knows little more about him than Leggatt does. They also share many underlying similarities. They both have been isolated from their crew, Leggatt for murder, the Captain for lack of respect. Leggatt and the Captain each express that they gained their particular positions through connections and not working their way through the ranks. Around the same time as the murder Leggatt saves his ship from the terrible weather, likewise the Captain saves his ship from crashing into the island at the end of the story. Finally they both set out on new journeys with a sense of self-mastery using what they have learned from each other.
2. In The Secret Sharer the Captain embarks on a journey of self-discovery through Leggatt, but Leggatt is symbolically the same person as the Captain. Leggatt is basically a symbol for the Captain creating a subconscious view of himself. This is shown by Leggatt’s rise out of the water. The water symbolizes the Captains subconscious, and Leggatt being naked symbolizes the Captain feeling exposed in front of his crew. Throughout the story Leggatt, who is symbolically the Captains Subconscious shows the Captain how he can improve his