Elliot

Elliot (also spelled Eliot,Elliott,Eliott and Elyot) is a personal name which can serve as either a surname or a given name. Although the given name was historically given to males, females named Elliot have increased from 414 in 2009 to 770 in 2013. The origin of the surname is obscure, perhaps due to much of the genealogy of the Eliott clan being burnt in the destruction of the castle at Stobs in 1712 AD. The clan society usually accepts that the name originated from the town and river Elliot in Angus, Scotland. Some other sources suggest it may be derived from a French form of Elias, which is itself derived from the biblical name "Elijah". Yet other sources claim that the Scottish surnames (Eliott, Elliot) originate from the Ellot Scottish border-clan, from a transformation of the name Elwold. There are also records in the Domesday Book of the name spelled "Ailiet", thought to originate from an old English name "Æþelgeat" (meaning "noble gate") and leading to the English and Scottish given name spelled "Elyat", which in turn leads to the modern alternative spelling of the name "Elyot".

Lord Jim

Lord Jim is a novel by Joseph Conrad originally published as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine from October 1899 to November 1900.

An early and primary event is the abandonment of a ship in distress by its crew including the young British seaman Jim. He is publicly censured for this action and the novel follows his later attempts at coming to terms with his past.

In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Lord Jim 85th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.

Plot summary

Jim (his surname is never disclosed), a young British seaman, becomes first mate on the Patna, a ship full of pilgrims travelling to Mecca for the hajj. When the ship starts rapidly taking on water and disaster seems imminent, Jim joins his captain and other crew members in abandoning the ship and its passengers. A few days later, they are picked up by a British ship. However, the Patna and its passengers are later also saved, and the reprehensible actions of the crew are exposed. The other participants evade the judicial court of inquiry, leaving Jim to the court alone. The court strips him of his navigation command certificate for his dereliction of duty. Jim is angry with himself, both for his moment of weakness, and for missing an opportunity to be a 'hero'.