European Humanities
Spring 2011
Mr. Spragins

Heart of Darkness
(Reading Two) pp. 22-39; pp. 6-16; 9-22

Reading Comprehension Quiz: Reading Two

Heart of Darkness, part one: Reading Two Discussion:

1. What impressions of Africa did Marlow have before he ever saw the land?

• impressions (5) (8)
• the snake of the Congo River (5-6) (8)

2. How do Marlow's impressions begin to change when he visits the the Belgian Congo Company in Brussels?

• the sad fate of Captain Fresleven (6-7) (10)
• the knitting women beside the great map of Africa (7-8) (11)
• the doctor and his secret theory (9) (13-14)
• Marlow’s aunt and her understanding of the European mission (9-10) (14)

Body Paragraph: Conrad's Method- Symbols as Signposts on the Trail of Kurtz:

Marlow has a sense of what he is getting into well before he even arrives in Africa. Interpret the symbols he encounters in Belgium. How are they leading us towards Kurtz?

3. The Voyage Begins:

What are Marlow’s first impressions of Africa?

• the coastline (29) (10) (15)·
• the Africans (30) (11) (15-16)
• the French warship (30-31) (11) (16)

The Outer Station:

• a Swede (12) (17)
• first impressions of the Outer Station (12) (17)
• the chain gang  (12-13) (18)
• the grove of trees (14) (19-20)
• the Chief Accountant (15-16) (21)
  Why does he dress this way? 
  What is his attitude towards the native workers?
  How does he justify the legitimacy of his lethal decisions?
  How is he an apt representation of the first stage of Marlow’s journey into darkness?  
  When does he first mention Kurtz? (15-16) (22)

Body Paragraph: The Outer Station:

The Outer Station: What form of evil exists in the outermost circle of Belgian Congo? (Hmmm. What must be going on inside?)