Diversity of Social Life of a Human Being in 'The Secret Agent' by Joseph Conrad

Analyzing Symbolisms in Joseph Conrad’s “The Secret Agent”
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Introduction
The Secret agent is a tale written by Joseph Conrad in 1886, telling a story of Adolf Verloc, a character featured as a businessman and secret agent in London. Throughout the story, the author has applied different narrative techniques, among them being the use of symbolism. Different objects and events have been symbolized in a way that they bring out the intended meaning. The use of numerous symbols in The Secret Agent presents a continuous and dichotomous struggle between peace and chaos as one of the major theme in the novel. As brought out in the novel, symbolism seems to be embodied in the superstition of the adventure of the used characters to present unending pursuit throughout the novel. The discussion herein, therefore, presents the use of symbolism as a writing style applied by the author to illustrate the theme of the novel.
Joseph Conrad uses a variety of symbolic circles to present the importance of the circles in the lives of his characters in The Secret Agent novel. In the beginning, we are introduced to a character’s trivial pursuit for peace and happiness through the dim-witted Stevie. The circles that Stevie kept drawing during his free time had a significant meaning in his life. “Occupied by drawing circles with a compass and pencil on a piece of paper. He applied himself to the past time with great industry…” (Pg. 8). The drawing task is presented as a symbolic process which acts as mundane to all other tasks that Stevie carried out. From this symbolic feature of the novel, it is presented that peace, order, and solidarity would be obtained among society members are the opposing factions are placed separately. Bringing together such functions will, however result in unending chaos.
Mr Verloc has been presented in the novel to have placed himself in several social circles, which represents social relationships and the major cause of violence and conflict in the tale. He starts as a double agent of the Russian embassy, spying on anarchists as pretending to maintain his small and covert business “left his shop normally in charge of his brother-in-law”. He also identified himself with two other political circles while associating himself with Karl Yundt, Comrade Ossipon, and Michaelis but he comes as an informer of the intelligence of Chief Inspector Heat. He also maintained his social circle comprising of him and his family. He possessed a small family of his wife Winnie and brother-in-law Stevie and a small business thus leading a life of an average citizen. The separation of these social circle results to peace establishment, but a conflict occurs when they are brought together.
Stevie is involved in a lot of drawing of circles both separately and combined to symbolize how conflict is formed in the society. For instance, the first incident of the juxtaposition between circles and chaos and conflict as presented in the novel occur during the meeting held by Mr Verloc with the anarchist in his living room while Stevie is drawing his circ...