Heart of Darkness Study Guide Essay - 2239 Words

Heart of Darkness Study Questions Chapter 1 1. The setting of the story begins on the Nellie, a ship. The turn of the tide is significant because it gives the men on board extra time to talk, and Marlow begins telling his story. In addition, symbolically, the turning of the tide conveys a change, and perhaps, foreshadowing of the story. The author spends a lot of time dealing with light because it is the main symbol in the novella. Light and darkness are universal symbols that represent good and evil. Although not explicitly stated, those who have the light are those who are â€Å"civilized†, and those who have the darkness are those who remain â€Å"uncivilized†, particularly the people living in Africa. 2. Marlow appears different from†¦show more content†¦9. The man-of-war is a lifeless forested stretch of coast. Once they reach the Congo River, Marlow boards another ship to journey further upriver. The man-of-war portends the lifelessness of many coasts in Africa; most parts of the place appear corrupt and dreary. 10. Marlow describes the Company’s station as a â€Å"Grove of Death†, in which among the trees there are dying natives and recurring dynamite blasts. I think the natives allowed themselves to be bullied by the white men because they felt inferior. During this time, imperialism was popular and the belief that a white man was better than a black man was common. I also do not think natives had the proper technology, means, or knowledge to necessarily stand up to a group of white men either. 11. The accountant is described as an elegant white man with a clean and well-mannered appearance. The accountant is described as a â€Å"miracle† because he represents the Company, or how the Company wishes to be seen. The accountant is devoted to the Company. The station manager is described as an average man. The manager’s supreme gift is his ability to never get sick. Marlow does not like the station manager because he is jealous of Kurtz, and also because Marlow describes him as â€Å"originating nothing.† This suggests how the manager lacks innovation and is devoted to keeping up with appearances, although he has nothing to offer. The manager comments about howShow MoreRelated Prejudice and Racism in The Jewel in the Crown and Heart of Darkness1361 Words   |  6 PagesRacism in The Jewel in the Crown and Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   The effects of British colonialism are reflected in literature from both early modernism and post colonialism. Racial discrimination tainted both eras portrayed in the British morale of white supremacy over non-European counties unfolded. Heart of Darkness exemplifies early modernism in the British explorers viewed African natives of the Congo as incapable of human equality due to perceived uncivilized savagery. 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NoticeRead MoreEssay on Jungian Psychology and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness6193 Words   |  25 PagesAs the Heart of Darkness snakes its way into the savage shadows of the African continent, Joseph Conrad exposes a psycho-geography of the collective unconscious in the entangling metaphoric realities of the serpentine Congo. Conrad’s novella descends into the unknowable darkness at the heart of Africa, taking its narrator, Marlow, on an underworld journey of individuation, a modern odyssey toward the center of the Self and the center of the Earth. Ego dissolves into soul as, in the interior, Marlow