Discussion Questions
1. What is so peculiar about the description of the captain of the Nellie?
2. The narrator's description of the journey seaward on the Thames and looking back at London corresponds with Marlow's description of a possible journey inland towards "one of the dark places of the earth" made by the Romans. Compare the two descriptions. What themes might these description foreshadow and how might this have to do with the title of this novella?
3. Based upon Marlow's discourse, what seems to be the difference between the Romans and the British? Is there a difference between colonialism and conquest?
4. According to the narrator of the story, how are we supposed to feel about Marlow as a story-teller? What kind of character or man is Marlow?
5. What does Marlow's account of what happened to Fresleven, his predecessor on the steamboat, tell us about what Marlow might encounter on his journey down the serpentine river he felt destined to travel down, even from the time he looked at the map as a child?
6. When Marlow crosses the Channel to sign the contract what does he notice on the wall of the office? How does his experience in the office, including his interview with the doctor, seem to foreshadow his trip as to its purpose and likely ultimate effect upon him?
7. Compare the description of the Company's employees in both Europe and in Africa. What is their predominate character?
8. Marlow relates:
And I was going to take charge of a two-penny-half-penny river-steamboat
with a penny whistle attached! It appears however I was also one of
the Workers, with a capital--you know. Something like an emissary
of light, something like a lower sort of apostle. There had been a lot
of such rot let loose in print and talk just about that time, and
the excellent woman living right in the rush of all that humbug
got carried off her feet. She talked about 'weaning those ignorant millions
for their horrid ways', till, upon my word, she made me quite
uncomfortable. I ventured to hint tha the Company was run for profit.
What appears to be Marlow's attitude, in this passage, towards this imperialistic or colonial endeavors? What appears to be Conrad's attitude? Does this have anything to do with the Director of Companies looking more nautical than the sea itself, and the very embodiment of the trustworthiness?
9. Marlow relates,
They [women] live in a world of their own and there had never been
anything like it and never can be. It is too beautiful altogether, and if they
were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset. Some
confounded fact we men have been living contentedly with ever since
the day of creation would start up and knock the whole thing over.
What appears to be Marlow's attitude towards woman? Compare this passage to what we know of the various attitudes around this time from Virginia Woolf. What does Marlow (or Conrad) seem to be suggesting about man's (or human) nature?
10. Compare Marlow's description of the Roman conquest of Britain to his trip down the African coast towards the mouth of the serpentine river. What is his general attitude towards this whole endeavor?
11. Compare the several descriptions of the jungle.
12.
a)What does Marlow's observation about the working conditions of Natives
show about his attitude towards the "noble cause"? (What is the other term
Marlow also uses to refer to this latter?)
b)Compare the several description of the natives.
13. How does Marlow feel about the Manager of Central Station? What are the conditions like? What is the relationship between the whites and the natives?
14. Compare the several passages where we get a glimpse of Kurtz. Who is he? What is he like? What is the presumed relationship between Marlowe and Krutz? What might the painting Kurtz left behind suggest about him?
15. At Central Station, Marlow needed "rivets"? For what? Why do you think the word was repeated so many times on the same page. Further, Marlow relates, "...but what I wanted was a certain quantity of rivets--and rivets were that really Mr. Kurtz wanted--if he had only know it." It seems likely that 'rivets' is here used not just literally. What might Marlow mean by this?
16. How does Marlow feel about work? From what we know about Kurtz, how does he feel about work? Why is this important to one of the main themes of this book?
1. What is so peculiar about the description of the captain of the Nellie?
2. The narrator's description of the journey seaward on the Thames and looking back at London corresponds with Marlow's description of a possible journey inland towards "one of the dark places of the earth" made by the Romans. Compare the two descriptions. What themes might these description foreshadow and how might this have to do with the title of this novella?
3. Based upon Marlow's discourse, what seems to be the difference between the Romans and the British? Is there a difference between colonialism and conquest?
4. According to the narrator of the story, how are we supposed to feel about Marlow as a story-teller? What kind of character or man is Marlow?
5. What does Marlow's account of what happened to Fresleven, his predecessor on the steamboat, tell us about what Marlow might encounter on his journey down the serpentine river he felt destined to travel down, even from the time he looked at the map as a child?
6. When Marlow crosses the Channel to sign the contract what does he notice on the wall of the office? How does his experience in the office, including his interview with the doctor, seem to foreshadow his trip as to its purpose and likely ultimate effect upon him?
7. Compare the description of the Company's employees in both Europe and in Africa. What is their predominate character?
8. Marlow relates:
And I was going to take charge of a two-penny-half-penny river-steamboat
with a penny whistle attached! It appears however I was also one of
the Workers, with a capital--you know. Something like an emissary
of light, something like a lower sort of apostle. There had been a lot
of such rot let loose in print and talk just about that time, and
the excellent woman living right in the rush of all that humbug
got carried off her feet. She talked about 'weaning those ignorant millions
for their horrid ways', till, upon my word, she made me quite
uncomfortable. I ventured to hint tha the Company was run for profit.
What appears to be Marlow's attitude, in this passage, towards this imperialistic or colonial endeavors? What appears to be Conrad's attitude? Does this have anything to do with the Director of Companies looking more nautical than the sea itself, and the very embodiment of the trustworthiness?
9. Marlow relates,
They [women] live in a world of their own and there had never been
anything like it and never can be. It is too beautiful altogether, and if they
were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset. Some
confounded fact we men have been living contentedly with ever since
the day of creation would start up and knock the whole thing over.
What appears to be Marlow's attitude towards woman? Compare this passage to what we know of the various attitudes around this time from Virginia Woolf. What does Marlow (or Conrad) seem to be suggesting about man's (or human) nature?
10. Compare Marlow's description of the Roman conquest of Britain to his trip down the African coast towards the mouth of the serpentine river. What is his general attitude towards this whole endeavor?
11. Compare the several descriptions of the jungle.
12.
a)What does Marlow's observation about the working conditions of Natives
show about his attitude towards the "noble cause"? (What is the other term
Marlow also uses to refer to this latter?)
b)Compare the several description of the natives.
13. How does Marlow feel about the Manager of Central Station? What are the conditions like? What is the relationship between the whites and the natives?
14. Compare the several passages where we get a glimpse of Kurtz. Who is he? What is he like? What is the presumed relationship between Marlowe and Krutz? What might the painting Kurtz left behind suggest about him?
15. At Central Station, Marlow needed "rivets"? For what? Why do you think the word was repeated so many times on the same page. Further, Marlow relates, "...but what I wanted was a certain quantity of rivets--and rivets were that really Mr. Kurtz wanted--if he had only know it." It seems likely that 'rivets' is here used not just literally. What might Marlow mean by this?
16. How does Marlow feel about work? From what we know about Kurtz, how does he feel about work? Why is this important to one of the main themes of this book?