European Humanities
Spring 2010
Mr. Spragins

Heart of Darkness (Reading Three) (pp. 38-59) pp. 16-26; 22-37

The Middle Station represents a progression not only deeper into the jungle but also deeper into the nature of human evil. What could be worse than the genocidal imperialism manifested at the Outer Station?
How long does Marlow spend at the Central Station?
How are conditions even worse at this site?
What fever has possessed everyone there?
How does Marlow escape and continue his journey towards Kurtz?

The Trek to the Middle Station (16-17) (22-23)

As Marlow treks deeper into the jungle, how does his character begin to transform?
What is his attitude towards the native Africans?
What happens to Marlow's white companion (23) during the fifteen day, 200-mile tramp to the Central Station?

The Middle Station (17-27) (24-38)

The General Manager

What is the condition of the steamer that Marlow is supposed to command? (18) (25)
Carefully describe the General Manager at the Middle Station. What is un-nerving about his smile? (18-19) (25-26)
How does he keep control over the other agents? Why does Marlow describe them as pilgrims? (20) (27) (Find an excellent quote to support your analysis.)
What does the General Manager think of Kurtz? (19)

The Conversation with the Second in Command

Why are the white agents at the Middle Station suspicious of Marlow? Why do they believe he has been sent? (20-21) (26-27)
What do you think is the cause of the mysterious fire? (20) (27-28) (Notice that the man who is blamed can be heard groaning in the background throughout the rest of the chapter. What is happening to Marlow's empathy for the natives?)
What is the subject of the painting that Kurtz left at the Middle Station? (21-22) (30)
How does the agent describe Kurtz' mission? (22) (31-32)
What makes Marlow sympathize with Kurtz even though he has never met him? (23) (32)

Rivets!

What strategy does Marlow use to get the rivets he will need to repair the steamship? (24-25) (33-34)
Who is Marlow's only friend at this camp? (26) (35)
What impact has Marlow’s two-month stay at the Middle Station begun to have on his own mental health?
What arrives at the camp instead of rivets for the boat? (36)

A Pause

Why does Marlow break off his story for a moment? (24) (32-33) (Notice that at this stage in the story Marlow steps back and despairs of ever being able to communicate what really happened to him out there. How has the un-named narrator begun to respond to the story?)

Paragraph: The Middle Station

Compare the conditions at the Lower Station and the Middle Station. Focus your comparison on the characters of the Company's Chief Accountant and its General Manager. How do these characters represent two points in a progression towards Kurtz and Conrad's vision of human nature. Think also about the effect of this journey upon Marlow's character itself. How is he slowly turning into Kurtz?

Body Paragraph Four (continued):

We have noted that the situation in the Congo has begun to wear down Marlow's humanity. Yet Marlow is different from the other agents at the Middle Station. He is stuck there, waiting for rivets to fix his boat, but he manages to avoid turning into one of these 'rapacious imbeciles'? How?

The Central Station

Reading Comprehension Quiz:

1. How has Marlow’s character itself begun to transform?

2. What happens to Marlow’s white companion during the 15 day, 200-mile tramp to the Middle Station.?

3. What fever has possessed all the ‘pilgrims’ at the Central Station?

4. How does Marlow find the steamer that he is supposed to command?

5. What does the General Manager do at the meetings at the Central Station to demonstrate his control over the other white agents?

6. Why do they believe Marlow has come to the Congo?

7. What do the ‘pilgrims’ at the Central Station think of Kurtz?

8. What is the subject of the painting that Kurtz left at the Central Station?

9. What equipment does Marlow need to repair the steamship?

10. What arrives at the camp instead?