Heart of Darkness Quotes: Book 1
|
Introduction |
Possibly the most interesting parts of the novel happen at the very beginning. Much of the mindset of the novel occurs here. |
|
Quotes |
Identify the following quotes. Who said them and what do they seem to signify. 1. "This, too was once one of the dark places of the earth."
2. "We live in the flicker...may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling."
3. "They were men enough to face the darkness."
4. "Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate..."
5. "Du calme, du calme, adieu."
6. "I have known seen ...strong, lusty, red-eyed devils but....I foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of this land, I would become acquainted with a flabby, pretending, weak-eyed, devil of rapacious and pitiless folly."
7. "I’ve been teaching one of the native women about the station. It was difficult. She had a distaste for the work."
8. "When one has got to make correct entries, one comes to hate those savages, hate them to the death."
|
Continued on next page
HOD Quotes 1, Continued
|
9. "He was obeyed, yet he inspired neither love, nor fear, nor even respect. he inspired uneasiness."
10. "The word "ivory" hung in the air. You would think they were praying to it."
11. "He is a prodigy....We want for the guidance of the cause entrusted us by Europe, so to speak higher intelligence, wide sympathies, singleness of purpose."
12. "You know, I hate, detest, can’t bear a lie."
13. "It was reckless without hardihood, greedy without audacity, and cruel without courage; there was not an atom of...serious intention among them." |
Heart of Darkness; Questions Book 1
|
Instructions |
Answer the following numbered questions on your own. Let the indented one wait for class. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following question fully. 1. What is the setting of this story? Why is it important that the tide has just turned? Why does the author spend so much time dealing with the light? Who has the light? Who has the darkness? 2. How is Marlow different from everyone else on that ship? Is the audience civilized? Is Marlow? How will they react to this story? How does the narrator predict they will react? 3. How did the Roman react to England? What did England look like then? How was it a "dark place"? 4. According to Marlow, what redeems "the conquest of the earth." Why do you suppose he breaks off? 5. What does Marlow keep comparing the river to? Why is that an interesting comparison? |
Continued on next page
HOD Questions, Continued
|
6. Besides knitting, what do the two women do in the office? What do they each seem to symbolize? How might his Victorian English audience react to this? 5. Why did Fresleven go nuts? Why did he die? Why did the village become abandoned? 6. Marlowe’s Aunt calls her nephew an "emissary of light." What does she imagine her nephew is about to do? Why doesn’t he correct her? 7. What is the man-of-war doing? Why? What does this portend? 8. Describe the Company’s station. Why do you suppose the natives allowed themselves to get bullied about so much? 9. Describe the accountant. Why is he a "miracle" Marlow clearly admires him. Why? Is he a victim of the weak-eyed devil? |
Continued on next page
Hod Questions 1, Continued
|
10. Describe the station manager What was his supreme gift? Why doesn’t Marlow like him? What might be the other meaning of having no "entrails." 11. What is the brick maker doing? What is he waiting for?
12. Describe Kurtz’s painting. What do you suppose it means? 13. The station manager and the brick-maker are both upset at Kurtz’s preeminence. Why? What does this say about them? How has Marlow lied to this man? 14. What is the problem with the rivets? What does that show about this enterprise? Why would the station manager not want the rivets to make it out? 15. What is wrong about the Eldorado Exploring Expedition? |
Heart of Darkness; Book 2; Quotes
|
Introduction |
The trip carries on, deeper and deeper in the Heart of Darkness |
|
Quotes |
Identify the following quotes. Who said them and why were the important. 1. "Ah, my boy...trust to this–I say, trust to this."
2. "Wood for you. Hurry up. Approach cautiously.’
3. "I authorize you to take all the risks."
4. "I laid the ghost of his gifts at last with a lie."
5. "You don’t talk with that man–you listen."
6. "This man has enlarged my mind." |
Heart of Darkness: Questions, Book 2
|
Introduction |
Answer the following numbered questions on your own. Let the indented one wait for class. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions clearly. 1. How does the station manager survive? How does he plan to "beat" Kurtz? 2. Who was the crew of the steamboat? How were they more civilied than the "pilgirms" What, then, is the definition of "civilized." 3. What do the drums symbolize? What does the forest seem to be doing? 4. What does the phrase "The earth seemed unearthly" mean? How about "that was the worst of us, the suspicion that they weren’t inhuman"? 5. What book do they discover? What is admirable about the book? 6. When they wake up, eight miles from the station, what has happenned? What color is the fog? Why do you suppose that is? |
Continued on next page
HOD Questions 2, Continued
|
7. Why does Marlow say the natives will not attack? 8. Why does Conrad kill the sounding man first? What has the river come to symbolize? In that case, why did the native helmsman die as well, and not the fireman? How does the helmsman die? How does Marlow drive the natives away? 9. What did he want to have from Kurtz? Where else has the author mentioned just this point? 10. What is Kurtz’s head like? How does Conrad make that significant? 11. What was Kurtz’s paper about? What is odd about it? What does he compare the scribble with at the end? Where else have you seen this? 12. What role does the harlequin have? |
Heart of Darkness: Section 3: Quotes
|
Introduction |
The following quotes come from the final section of Heart of Darkness. Look for repeated themes or words with double meanings. |
|
Quotes |
Identify the following quotes. Who said them and what do they mean? 1. " He made me see things–-Things!"
2. He would "forget himself amongst these people....forget himself."
3. "I! I! I am a simple man. I have no great thoughts. I want nothing from nobody. How can you compare me to...."
4. "I’ll carry my ideas out yet-I’ll show you what can be done. You with your peddling little notions."
5. "Because the method is unsound."
6. "Mr. Kurtz’ reputation is safe with me."
7. "Oh, he enlarged my mind."
8. "You will be lost–-Utterly lost."
9. "Do I not?" |
Continued on next page
HOD Quotes 3, Continued
|
10. "The horror, the horror."
11. "Mistah Kurtz, he dead."
12. "I had all his noble confidence. I knew him best."
13. "Yes, his example. I forgot that."
14. "The last word he said–was your name." |
Heart of Darkness; Questions
Part 3
|
Introduction |
The following questions are meant to help your reading of the third section of Heart of Daarkness. |
|
Questions |
Answer the numbered questions at home, the indented in school. 1. Describe the "harlequin"? How old is he? Why is he still alive? Who might be similar to that today? 2. What was on the stakes outside of Kurtz’s compound? Which way were they pointed? Who had they been? 3. How does Kurtz come to the boat? How does Marlow describe him? What symbols does Marlow use to describe Kurtz? 4. What weapons does Kurtz bring with him? Why does he bring them? 5. Who is the "wild and gorgeous apparition of a woman." What does Conrad pair her with? |
Continued on next page
HOD 3, Continued
Continued on next page
HOD Questions 3, Continued
|
10. What happens to Kurtz right before he dies? What do his last words mean? (probably) Why does Marlowe blow out the candle? Why won’t Marlowe leave the dining room? 11. What does it mean "he had something to say." How does that contrat Marlow? How does that contrast the pilot? Why was Kurtz’ last words "a victory." 12. What does Marlow learn about Kurtz back in the city? 13. What does Marlow want to give up? How has he gone about doing that? 14. Describe the Intended? Earlier Marlow says that women live in beautiful worlds that we shouldn’t disturb. How is that true here? How is that feeling his downfall? 15. Did she know him truly? What didn’t she know? Why doesn’t Marlow tell her? Why do you suppose she cries out "I knew it" at the end? |
|
Thought Questions |
Should he have said something else? What, then, is the Heart of Darkness? |