Heart of Darkness Project
Sam Shumate
Travel
Page 72- Marlow was sent to the African village to recover the bones of his predecessor. " He must have died months ago, for his bones are barely visible by the tall overgrown grass covering it."
Page 73- Marlow travels across the channel to the company office to sign his employment contract. This signifies the wealth/connections of his aunt and his indifference to hearing how Fresleven died (portrays Marlow as tough/motivated to work). "Thank you Aunt, for I would like to be a steamboat Captain."
Page 74-76- "I am now traveling to the company office. There is little light and the skinny secretary keeps staring at me. The contract made me nervous, is this a conspiracy? Where am I? Who is that lady and does she know me?"
Page 76- "I wish this old chap would leave me alone. Why does he keep asking me questions pertaining to "the field of science?" I am irritated by his remarks and interest in me.
Page 77- Marlow travels with French steamer along African coast "Today marked nice weather and interesting seas. At times, this trip has scared me as I have seemed to be having nightmares."
Page 80- arrive at mouth of Congo River "Amen for I am finally here! It brings me much joy to also chat with the Sweden captain."
Page 82- goes off to the company station "For I saw many interesting things today. It seems as if everything around me is either decaying or being blasted. I am certain that the black people I saw were slaves who were not paid. They looked helpless."
Page 84- under the tree and see's slaves "I offered one of them a biscuit, as they were slowly dying. I wonder what the white thread signifies?"
Page 84- travels to the station "Viewing life from the station and the people are quite interesting and differing in character."
Page 87- Marlow travels over 200 miles with 60 men "I am very excited about this journey, as I aim to seek work as a captain as soon as possible."
Page 89- Wrecked ship/office of manager "Sigh, for it will take me months to repair this boat before I can even captain it. I will become tired and dull with this work."
Page 93- Marlow travels into wilderness with slaves and pilgrims. "I see men of many colors, yet of equality although some look sick. I hope we do not get lost."
Page 102- Marlow hears talk of Kurtz "Today I heard the manager and his nephew complain about how Kurtz wants to come to the Congo and enact more humane efforts and moral standards for the trade stations. I can't wait tom meet him."
Page 105- Marlow travels up river "At last my boat is fixed and I will be a true captain! I cannot wait to meet Kurtz."
Page 110- Marlow stops at hut. "We were very thankful to find more firewood to keep the boat running. However, the signature was not that of Kurtz, which was disappointing."
Page 119- Marlow heads for Western passage "I hope we can make it to the station and am thankful for escaping the attack thus far. Despite color, our crew is magnificent."
Page 121- Marlow banks the ship "Arrows were flying at us rapidly! None of my men have been killed yet. Get the guns ready and this helmsmen is an utter fool. He may kill us."
Page 146- "I will be forever scared of the impenetrable jungle that we are in. If I were a master of the jungle and friendly with the local tribes, this would be easier."
Page 150- "As Kurtz and I were leaving the jungle, it always seemed dark and as if 2,000 eyes were watching us. I don't like this feeling and I miss Europe."
Page 152- "I am not surprised that we broke down today. Kurtz is still managing, but each day it seems as if he is getting closer and closer to death. I wonder when."
Page 160- "I arrived at the house of Kurtz to dliver the package/letters. I was not surprised to see her still mourning, even after a year since he died. I miss him too."
Frustration
Page 90- "For he was annoyed by the constant quarrels by the white men at meal time about precedence, He ordered an immense round table to be built." This shows how Marlow disproves and is angered by the constant division of color and the arguments it leads to. (Passage 1)
Page 98- Marlow used the rivets to indicate his view of the inefficiency with slave labor and that this is injustice with imperialism. "What more did I want? What I really wanted was the rivets, by heaven." This shows that he is upset with how long he is having to wait for the parts to repair his ship. The rivets thus are symbolic of the inefficient method of imperialism. (Passage 1)
Page 112- "Nevertheless, I was annoyed beyond expression at the delay." Due to inclement weather and extreme fog, the manager has advised Marlow to stop the ship for the night. This frustration shows how impatient Marlow it, but also his zest for adventure. (Passage 2)
Ivory by the Bunches
Tobacco
Steamboat on Congo
Titles
2. The Journey to the Congo: I chose this title because it fits the vivid imagery of the battle and trip down the Congo River. From the natives launching arrows to the blood at Marlow's feet, this chapter was full of action and an adventurous journey.
3. Kurtz's Last Words: I chose this title because I found his last words, which were "The horror! The horror!" very interesting. Marlow could not watch the man die, but it seemed that even though Marlow disagreed with imperialism, he supported Kurtz. This man that believed treated the native people live savages and looted the Congo, yet he earned the loyalty and respect of Marlow. This title was chosen because Marlow respected, liked, and considered Kurtz a friend.
Motifs
Savage: While in the Congo in Part I, Marlow sees the inefficiency of imperialism on the native people. From seeing the slaves about to die under the tree to watching how a cliff was being blasted, he is critical of European influence. In Part II, Marlow distances himself a bit more from these people. He makes it obvious that they are cannibals on the steamboat, especially when he throws the body overboard (they wanted to eat it). Although Marlow admits several times that this crew of cannibals is great, he is not totally against imperialism. In Part III, savages aren't used as much however Marlow seems to fear these native people more. While in the jungle, he often feels as if 2,000 eyes are on him and he seems worried. Thus, the overall purpose of savages in this novel is to show imperialism and portray the differences between these people and whites.
Interior vs. Exterior: In Part I, the narrator makes clear that Marlow is more interested in surfaces than the surrounding atmosphere. An example in this part of the novel would be when he has to go into the company office. He thought that the one lady at the desk was staring him down and he was annoyed by the doctor, however he paid little attention to what was around him. Part II offers more imagery, which makes this motif easier to comprehend. The river bank offers an example of an interior in which Marlow is afraid and unwilling to stop the boat. While the Manager says otherwise, Marlow does not like what he believes is on shore and inside the impenetrable jungle. In the final passage, Marlow is very much focused on himself and Kurtz. When he goes to "The Intended's residence," Marlow is excessively and still concerned with the letters that Kurtz gave him. He also has the job of interpreting Kurtz's forehead, for it is hard to realize whether he is serious or joking at times. This comparison is used in the Heart of Darkness to show characterization of Marlow and highlight some of his responsibilities.