Typhon

by Joseph Conrad

"Typhon" by Joseph Conrad is a novella written in 1899 and serialized in 1902. Captain MacWhirr commands the steamer Nan-Shan directly into a typhoon, refusing to alter course despite the approaching storm. Emotionally detached from his crew and family, MacWhirr's stubborn determination against overwhelming natural forces tests the limits of seamanship and human will. Conrad employs a groundbreaking narrative technique, creating a dramatic ellipsis at the story's climax that challenges readers to imagine the climactic events themselves.