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Introduction
There should not be any question regarding Jewel being the heroine of Lord Jim, She is the heroine on various grounds. There is no other woman character in the novel to compete with Jewel's significant role. Jewel possesses certain remarkable traits of a leading character, for example, enormous power of endurance, tremendous courage, keen observant eyes that peep through the mind of human beings; in other words, an acute insight, shrewdness, attentiveness, alertness at the moments of crisis and, above all, a heart full of the milk of human kindness.
Jewel's Significant Role
Jewel suffers badly from her step-father's evil temperament. Her step-father, Cornelius, ill-treats her; accuses and abuses her, and badly shouts at her till she starts weeping bitterly. He behaves like a beast. This information is provided to the readers when Jim arrives at Patusan, replaces Cornelius and lives with him in the same residence. Jewel shows her watchfulness, attentiveness and genuine love for Jim when we find her keeping awake for so many nights in order to save Jim's life against any conspiracy or plot of murder hatched by Cornelius or Sherif Ali. But Jim is not conscious about the fact that several plots are hatched by his enemies and Jewel keeps awake in the night to defend him. Once Jewel guards his life by awakening him from his sleep in the night and leading him to the conspirators whom Jim had handled bravely.
Power of Endurance
This quality is very rare among a woman - to endure so much mental tortures as Jewel is undergoing in the hands of her step-father, Cornelius. In the novel, at two or three points, we are informed that Jewel has undergone severe mental torture and humiliation by Cornelius. It is not expected out of any woman to endure such tortures. She may commit suicide at these tyrannies but Jewel bears all the insults and pains.
Jewel: A Good Judge of Human Character
Jewel also possesses the astounding power of smelling evil designs and plots against Jim. Very few women are endowed with this kind of gift. On seeing men's behavior towards women, she gives a general statement that men are not fair to women. Whitemen do not stick to them life long. She makes an ubiquitous remark - "Men always leave women." Though Jim may be called an exception yet he too leaves her and becomes too cold when he resolves to sacrifice his life in the hands of Doramin.
Conclusion
Thus we see Jewel is gifted with some exceptional traits and features that form the grounds to regard her as the heroine of the novel, Lord Jim.