The Blue Lagoon · Chapter
XX: The Keeper of the Lagoon explained
Dick ventures into the less damaged part of the woods to gather bananas, but upon returning to the beach he sees Emmeline adrift in the lagoon.
What happens
Dick ventures into the less damaged part of the woods to gather bananas, but upon returning to the beach he sees Emmeline adrift in the lagoon. He swims out to rescue her, but a shark—described as the ancient, predatory spirit of the lagoon—closes in. Emmeline's desperate throw of a scull distracts the shark, allowing Dick to reach the boat safely, though the scull is lost.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Survival
The shark's solitary reign over the lagoon and the children's narrow escape highlight the constant struggle for survival in an isolated environment.
The Sublime and Terrible Nature
The shark is portrayed as an ancient, soulless force of nature—both beautiful and terrifying—embodying the sublime and terrible aspects of the natural world.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Forty years ago he had floated adrift on the sea in the form and likeness of a small shabby pine-cone, a prey to anything that might find him.”
The shark began its life as a tiny, vulnerable pine-cone-like creature drifting in the ocean.
Describes the shark's origins and its long history of survival.
“He was the spirit of the lagoon.”
The shark embodied the essence and power of the lagoon itself.
Elevates the shark to a symbolic, almost mythical status.