Victory · Chapter
II explained
Heyst returns to Samburan with Lena, and Wang has cleared the area by burning the grass.
What happens
Heyst returns to Samburan with Lena, and Wang has cleared the area by burning the grass. Heyst shows Lena the house, and she enters while he retrieves their belongings. Wang observes the new arrival with cautious interest.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Detachment
Heyst and Lena's arrival on the isolated island of Samburan underscores their separation from the outside world, with Wang as the sole other presence.
Illusion vs. Reality
Lena's relief at entering the house contrasts with the uncertain reality of her new life with Heyst, while Wang's inscrutable demeanor hints at hidden complexities.
Characters to notice
- Axel Heyst
Returns to Samburan with Lena, observes Wang's work, and guides Lena into the house.
- Lena
Arrives at Samburan with Heyst, enters the house with a sense of relief from the sun and sea.
- Wang
Has cleared the ground by burning grass, fetches Heyst's and Lena's belongings, and listens to their voices with curiosity.
Key passages
“During his master’s absence at Sourabaya, Wang had busied himself with the ground immediately in front of the principal bungalow.”
While Heyst was away in Sourabaya, Wang cleared the area in front of the main house.
Wang's independent action shows his practical nature and his role as the sole caretaker of the compound.
“He’s like those waiters in that place.”
Lena compares Wang to the waiters at Schomberg's hotel.
Lena's observation links her past at Schomberg's to her new surroundings, highlighting her displacement.
“The impression of the sunlight, of sea and sky, remained with her like a memory of a painful trial gone through—done with at last!”
Lena feels the harsh sunlight and open landscape as an ordeal she has finally escaped.
This reflects Lena's relief at leaving the public world behind, but also foreshadows the isolation to come.