Chance Author:Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist. His success is even more amazing since he did not learn to speak English until he was in his 20Žs. ConradŽs narrative style places him at the beginning of the Modernist period of literature. Chance is a novel written when the suffragette movement was first bringing women's rights to public at... more »tention. It is the story of Flora de Barral, who is left without resources when her father is sent to prison. Later, she is exploited by Mrs. Fyne, a "feminist," who attempts to mold Flora for her own purposes. And, finally, Flora is at the mercy of a husband who casts her in a dependent role.« less