# V explained — An Outcast of the Islands > Chapter companion for An Outcast of the Islands by Joseph Conrad. ## What happens Lingard confronts Willems, declaring him his prisoner and condemning him to a life of exile in Sambir with Aissa. Willems oscillates between despair, defiance, and pleas for escape, while Aissa venomously attacks Lingard. The chapter culminates in Lingard's departure, leaving Willems isolated and trapped. ## Themes in this chapter ### Moral Failure and Self-Destruction Willems' moral collapse is complete; Lingard views him as a 'bitter thought' and a 'shame,' beyond redemption. ### Isolation and Outcast Status Willems is condemned to a life of isolation in Sambir, cut off from the white world and humanity. ### Illusion of Control and Fate Lingard asserts total control over Willems' fate, yet Willems' own choices and passions have sealed his destiny. ## Character check-ins ### Captain Lingard Confronts Willems, declares him a prisoner, and sentences him to exile in Sambir. ### Willems Desperate and conflicted, he pleads with Lingard while blaming Aissa for his ruin. ### Aissa Defiantly defends Willems and verbally attacks Lingard, accusing him of lies. ### Ali Reports Babalatchi's departure and prepares Lingard's boat for return. ## Key lines > No promise of yours is any good to me. I am going to take your conduct into my own hands. Pay attention to what I am going to say. You are my prisoner. Lingard tells Willems that his promises are worthless and that he will now control Willems' actions, declaring him a prisoner. _Lingard asserts authority and condemns Willems to captivity._ > You are not fit to go amongst people. Who could suspect, who could guess, who could imagine what’s in you? I couldn’t! You are my mistake. I shall hide you here. Lingard says Willems is unfit for society, that he himself failed to foresee Willems' true nature, and that he will conceal him in Sambir. _Lingard views Willems as a personal failure and decides to hide him away._ > To me you are not Willems, the man I befriended and helped through thick and thin, and thought much of … You are not a human being that may be destroyed or forgiven. You are a bitter thought, a something without a body and that must be hidden … You are my shame. Lingard no longer sees Willems as the man he once helped, but as a disembodied, shameful thought that must be concealed. _Lingard dehumanizes Willems, reducing him to an abstract source of shame._ > You are alone but for that woman there. You say you did this for her. Well, you have her. Lingard tells Willems that his only companion is Aissa, the woman for whom he claims to have ruined himself. _Lingard emphasizes Willems' isolation and the irony of his situation._ > You lie! You lie! … White man. Like you all do. You … whom Abdulla made small. You lie! Aissa shouts that Lingard is lying, like all white men, and reminds him that Abdulla has diminished his power. _Aissa verbally attacks Lingard, accusing him of deceit and referencing Abdulla's influence._ > As far as the rest of the world is concerned, your life is finished. Nobody will be able to throw any of your villainies in my teeth; nobody will be able to point at you and say, ‘Here goes a scoundrel of Lingard’s upbringing.’ You are buried here. Lingard declares that Willems' life is effectively over; he is buried in Sambir, and no one can blame Lingard for his crimes. _Lingard seals Willems' fate, cutting him off from the outside world._ > If you want to drive my soul into damnation by trying to drive me to suicide you will not succeed. I will live. I shall repent. I may escape. … Take that woman away—she is sin. Willems insists he will not be driven to suicide, vows to live, repent, and possibly escape, and demands that Aissa be taken away, calling her sin. _Willems resists Lingard's implied suggestion of suicide and blames Aissa for his downfall._ > I don’t care what happens, but I may tell you that without that woman your life is not worth much—not twopence. There is a fellow here who … and Abdulla himself wouldn’t stand on any ceremony. Think of that! And then she won’t go. Lingard warns Willems that without Aissa, his life is worthless, as Abdulla and others would kill him, and Aissa will not leave. _Lingard explains that Aissa is Willems' only protection from his enemies._ > I think she was right. I ought to have shot you. I couldn’t have been worse off. Willems says that Aissa was correct in suggesting he should have shot Lingard, as his situation could not be worse. _Willems expresses regret for not taking violent action against Lingard._ > You have been possessed of a devil. Lingard tells Willems that he has been controlled by an evil force. _Lingard attributes Willems' actions to demonic possession._ > I regret nothing. I picked you up by the waterside, like a starving cat—by God. I regret nothing; nothing that I have done. Abdulla—twenty others—no doubt Hudig himself, were after me. That’s business—for them. But that you should … Money belongs to him who picks it up and is strong enough to keep it—but this thing was different. It was part of my life. … I am an old fool. Lingard says he regrets nothing, having rescued Willems like a starving cat, and that while others' betrayals are business, Willems' betrayal struck at his very life, making him feel like an old fool. _Lingard reflects on his past kindness and the personal nature of Willems' betrayal._ > It wasn’t me. The evil was not in me, Captain Lingard. Willems denies that the evil originated within himself, shifting blame elsewhere. _Willems tries to absolve himself of responsibility._ > And where else confound you! Where else? Did you ever see me cheat and lie and steal? Tell me that. Did you? Hey? I wonder where in perdition you came from when I found you under my feet. … No matter. You will do no more harm. Lingard angrily retorts that the evil must have been in Willems, as he himself never cheated or stole, and declares that Willems will cause no further harm. _Lingard rejects Willems' denial and asserts his own moral integrity._ > What did you expect when you asked me to see you? What? You know me. I am Lingard. You lived with me. You’ve heard men speak. You knew what you had done. Well! What did you expect? Lingard asks Willems what he expected from their meeting, given that Willems knew Lingard's character and his own wrongdoing. _Lingard challenges Willems to explain his expectations._ > How can I know? I was alone in that infernal savage crowd. I was delivered into their hands. After the thing was done, I felt so lost and weak that I would have called the devil himself to my aid if it had been any good—if he hadn’t put in all his work already. In the whole world there was only one man that had ever cared for me. Only one white man. You! Hate is better than being alone! Death is better! I expected … anything. Something to expect. Something to take me out of this. Out of her sight! Willems confesses his desperation and isolation, saying he would have called on the devil for help, and that he expected anything from Lingard to escape his situation and Aissa. _Willems reveals his profound loneliness and his hope that Lingard would rescue him._ > When I think that when I first knew her it seemed to me that my whole life wouldn’t be enough to … And now when I look at her! She did it all. I must have been mad. I was mad. Every time I look at her I remember my madness. It frightens me. … And when I think that of all my life, of all my past, of all my future, of my intelligence, of my work, there is nothing left but she, the cause of my ruin, and you whom I have mortally offended … Willems reflects on how his initial passion for Aissa has turned to horror, and that she and Lingard are all that remain of his ruined life. _Willems acknowledges Aissa as the cause of his ruin and expresses fear and regret._ > Captain Lingard … anything … a deserted island … anywhere … I promise … Willems pleads with Lingard to send him anywhere, even a deserted island, and promises to behave. _Willems desperately begs for any alternative to his current fate._ > Shut up! Lingard abruptly tells Willems to stop talking. _Lingard cuts off Willems' pleas with a sharp command._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_outcast_of_the_islands_se/chapters/part-iv-v - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_outcast_of_the_islands_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_outcast_of_the_islands_se/chapters