Heart of Darkness, Part One

1. estuary (page 3): a water passage where the tide meets a river current.



2. The novel starts off with men on a ship called The Nellie which includes Marlow, an accountant, a lawyer, and a company director. As they are waiting to set sail they recall several ships that have set sail on the Thames and never returned. Marlow remembers when he was a fresh water sailor, and he went on a long journey through Asia and he saw a map of Africa with blank spaces that fascinated him. He also recalls when his aunt got him a job with a Belgian company who wanted to send him on a trading journey on the Congo River as the captain of a steamer boat died in a fight with the natives. While Marlow is in the company's waiting room he meets two old ladies knitting black wool, who send him in to see the doctor who measures his skull and remarks that he never sees most of his patients again. Marlow's aunt comes to see him off on his journey saying that she hopes he will help the uncivilized people in Africa. When he arrives at the mouth of the Congo, he is boarded on another ship until he reaches the company station which is in a horrible state. He is told that he will meet Kurtz who he is told is one of the best at bringing back ivory. The general manager of the company takes out the steamer that Marlow was supposed to take but he tore the bottom out on rocks, Marlow suspects that this is intentional to keep him from getting to Kurtz who is ill. Marlow also meets a brick layer who tells him that he will provide him with the rivets he needs to fix his ship. Instead of the rivets showing up, the Eldorado Exploring Expedition shows up and they intend to take all of the treasure.

3. I think it is interesting that the story is told from an unnamed narrator through Marlow through Kurtz. I think that Conrad does this because in the novel there are views about imperialism and at the time that this was written it was a very controversial issue. So therefore, he speaks through these narrators so that he cannot get in trouble, if he does not use his voice then therefore they cannot be pinpointed as his views. Also, I find it interesting that the company that Marlow works for feels that they are qualified to help the "savages". On this journey they act very superior towards the natives and want the natives to do exactly what they do in order to take over land and gain power. Who are they to go and push their ideals on other people? It is like in the novel Siddhartha, if the company are all the enlightened people that they claim to be then they should know that in order for others to become enlighted they need to take the journey themselves as opposed to having other people's ideals thrusted at them.


4. a) Is there a reason that the lawyer, accountant and the director are unnamed?

b) How can Ivory represent death even though it is white and pure?

c) Why does Faulkner choose to set up Kurtz as a very mysterious character?