康拉德作品的文化意義遠遠超出了阿契貝、賽義德和伊格爾頓等人的研究所見。從18世紀以來,英國文壇一直在討論社會/國家秩序的傳統,而康拉德的寫作可以看作這一傳統的延續,其間不無對秩序話語的改寫。如果不著眼于這一傳統,就無從深入理解康拉德的文化思想,也無從解讀其海洋故事背后的文化語境。從康拉德對"混亂的廢鐵堆"的拒斥中,我們可以瞥見他對秩序/文化的向往,對"治理"與"合作"的向往,而這在他的《臺風》《陰影線》和《"水仙號"》中都得到了生動的體現。

The cultural significance of Joseph Conrad’s works goes far beyond the conclusions made by such scholars as Chinua Achebe, Edward Said, and Terry Eagleton. Ever since the 18th century, there has existed on the arena of English literature a tradition of discussions and debates regarding the order of a society or a country. Conrad’s writings can be looked upon as a continuation of that tradition, and as an effort to rewrite the existing discourses on order. The failure to take into account that tradition will result in a shallow understanding of Conrad’s thoughts on culture, and in the danger of consigning to oblivion the cultural context of his sea stories. From his objection to "the chaos of scraps of iron" we can see his longing for culture/order, along with his longing for government and co-operation, which finds vivid expression in his Typhoon, The Shadow-Line and The Nigger of the "Narcissus.