The Captain helps Leggatt because he identifies with him. The Captain and Leggatt both have similar physical characteristic traits. They also come from the same social class and are both isolated on their ships. Symbolism is used to express the Captains mindset as depressed, apprehensive, and insecure. Through this symbolism the Captain implied his insecurities with nature and his crew. Not only does the Captain and Leggatt share similar characteristic traits, but Legget also has qualities that the Captain needs. Leggatt psychologically completes the Captain by giving him a sense of decisiveness and confidence.When the captain first spotted Leggatt, the Captain saw him as a “headless corpse”. Soon after the Captain saw Leggatt as his “body double”. Leggatt was the captains “own reflection in the depths of a sombre and immense mirror”. They were the same size, and Leggatt fit perfectly into the Captains sleeping suit. When Leggatt went to sleep, the Captain looked at him and saw himself. Not only did the Captain and Leggatt have similar looks, they both came from the same social class. They were both Conway boys, and close to the same age. As Conway boys, they had the same training for the Royal Navy. They are also close in age, the Captain is slightly older. “Being a couple of years older I had left before he joined.” Both Leggatt and the Captain are isolated from the rest of the crew. Leggatt was isolated from his ship the Sephora because he killed a man. Leggatt was the chief mate of the Sephora, and because he killed a man, his rights were taken from him. Leggatt was locked in his room every night, because the rest of the crew was scared of him. Leggatt then escaped from his ship, and swam to the Captains ship. When Leggatt was bought aboard the Captains ship, he was then isolated from the rest of the crew and was kept as the Captains secret. The Captain is also i...
