Before Heart of Darkness
At the heart of Heart of Darkness lies the betrayal of one’s values and the justification of exploiting
those “beneath” oneself. Circle True/False based on your beliefs.
Personal:
True False
I would be willing to cheat on a test if I knew I wouldn’t get
caught and the teacher’s tests were unreasonably difficult.
True False
I would be willing to spread a false rumor about someone I
didn’t respect.
True False
I believe I am superior to some people.
True False
I would be willing to pay someone less than minimum wage if
they were dumb enough to work for less.
True False
I would be willing to steal from someone I had no respect for.
True False
If I borrowed something from someone and they forgot about
it, I would keep it if I really wanted it.
National:
True False
True False
True False
True False
American business is justified in underpaying foreign workers if
it keeps the price down for its citizens.
America has the right to intervene in other sovereign countries
to protect its economic interests.
America is the greatest nation in the world; other nations
should defer to our wisdom.
Our schools foster divisions and elitism.
Philosophical:
True False
Love of mankind is an unrealistic ideal.
True False
Human nature is essentially aggressive and destructive.
True False
Power inevitably corrupts.
True False
“We are continually reminded of the power and terror of
Nature, and the isolation and feebleness of Man” (T.S. Eliot)
Name: _____________________________________ Per: ______ Date: ______________
Heart of Darkness Part I (pgs. 1-25)
1. Heart of Darkness is a frame tale. Where does the frame tale take place and who is speaking in
the very beginning?
2. What is significant about the setting of the frame tale?
3. The phrase “bearing the sword, and often the torch” (pg. 5) is an example of what figurative
language device?
4. Who said “And this also…has been one of the dark places of the earth” and what is the
antecedent of the pronoun?
5. Who was the only man who still “followed the sea” (pg. 6)?
6. The only one who still “followed the sea” is described as being paradoxical because he did not
represent his class. Explain the paradox.
7. When Marlow first begins speaking, what is he speaking about?
8. Can a person be initiated into “the darkness” (pg 8)?
9. What does a person need in order to be a conqueror? What is one of the themes of Heart of
Darkness that is revealed here?
10. Why does Marlow start telling his story?
11. When Marlow says that his experience affected him by being “…not very clear. And yet it
seemed to throw a kind of light,” (pg 9) this is an example of which figurative language device?
12. When Marlow was young, he had a passion for maps and there were many blank spaces on the
earth that he had a “hankering for” (pg 10). What does this reveal about Marlow?
13. How does Marlow reveal that the English have a condescending attitude toward the continent of
Africa?
14. How did Marlow get his “appointment?”
15. Who was Fresleven and how did he get killed? What happened to his body? What does his
death reveal about the setting of Africa?
16. Marlow needed to visit a doctor before going to Africa. Describe his encounter with the doctor
and the advice the doctor gives him. Why is this significant?
17. Right before Marlow is about to leave for Africa “a queer feeling came to [him] that [he] was an
imposter…instead of going to the centre of a continent, I were about to set off for the centre of
the earth” (pg 17). What do you think this foreshadows?
18. Marlow speaks about “the uniform somberness of the coast, seemed to keep me away from the
truth of things…the voice of the surf…was a positive pleasure…” (pg 19). What is significant
about this setting?
19. Marlow remembers a man-of-war “shelling the bush” (pg 19).
what is significant about it.
Describe this setting and explain
20. When Marlow has been traveling for 30 days he switches to a steamer whose captain is a Swede.
The Swede remarks “It is funny what some people will do for a few francs a month. I wonder
what becomes of that kind when it goes up country?” (pg. 21). What is significant about this
comment?
21. Pages 21-23 describe the new setting. What specific point is Marlow making while describing the
setting?
22. Marlow describes the workers as “black shadows of disease and starvation” (pg. 24) and
continues to describe them until the bottom of page 25. How do you think Marlow feels about
the workers?
Name: _____________________________________ Per: ______ Date: ______________
Heart of Darkness Part I (pgs. 25-45)
1. At the bottom of page 25 Marlow meets a white man. Describe him and why his appearance is so
significant in this setting.
2. The chief accountant is annoyed by the groans of the sick man in his office because they distract
his attention (pg 26). What does this say about the accountant?
3. Marlow comments that he felt as if he was “becoming scientifically interesting” (pg. 29). What
does he mean by this?
4. Where is Marlow’s steamer?
5. Marlow finally arrives at the Central Station and meets “the flabby devil” he referred to
previously (pg 23) and again on page 30. Who is this “flabby devil?” Describe him.
6. The “flabby devil” speaks to Marlow about a situation that is “very grave, very grave” (pg 32).
What or who is he speaking about?
7. Marlow comments that he was surprised at what “extreme nicety he had estimated the time
requisite for the ‘affair’” (pg 33). Who is Marlow talking about and what “affair” is he referring
to?
8. At the bottom of the first paragraph on page 34, Marlow mentions that he noticed a stout man
with moustaches was trying to put out a fire and had a tin pail with a hole in the bottom of it. He
also mentions that there is a man who had been there over a year and his sole job was to make
bricks although Marlow notices that he hasn’t seen a brick and there were no supplies to make
bricks and none were being sent (pg 35). What are these examples of?
9. Marlow notices an oil sketch. Describe the sketch and explain what is significant about it.
10. After reading what the “brickmaker” has to say about Kurtz, how do you think he feels about
Kurtz?
11. On page 39, Marlow mentions that he hates, detests and can’t bear a lie. Why does he mention
this?
12. Reread page 40. Who is the narrator?
13. From page 41-45, Marlow continually refers to “rivets.” What is a rivet and what is it symbolic
of? Why do you think they cannot get any if there is an abundance of them at the outer station?
14. Describe the Eldorado Exploring Expedition. What is significant about this group?
15. At the very end of Part I, Marlow refers to a man who had come to Africa equipped with moral
ideas of some sort. Who is Marlow referring to?
Name: _____________________________________ Per: ______ Date: ______________
Heart of Darkness Part II (pgs. 46-64)
1. In the first two paragraphs of Part II, Marlow overhears a conversation. Describe the setting,
the participants and the content of the conversation. Why is this conversation important?
2. On page 51, someone tells Marlow to “try to be civil.” Who is it?
3. Marlow’s steamboat finally sets off, who makes up his crew?
4. Marlow says “the prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us-who could tell” (pg.
53). Who is the “prehistoric man?”
5. Marlow seems to get angry and says “You wonder I didn’t go ashore for a howl and a dance…there
was surface truth enough in these things to save a wiser man” (pg. 54). What is Marlow talking
about and why is this significant?
6. What attitude does Marlow have towards the “fireman?”
7. Fifty miles below the Inner Station, Marlow and his crew come upon a hut. Describe the setting
and message they encounter.
8. Marlow finds an item at the hut. Describe this item and explain its significance to Marlow.
9. Marlow wants to get to the Inner Station as soon as possible. What does the manager say to
Marlow that prevents him from continuing on?
10. Marlow decides to wait out the night in the middle of the river. Describe this setting
throughout the night and into the morning.
11. Describe the setting and events after Marlow and his crew hear “a cry, a very loud cry, as if of
infinite desolation” (pg 59).
12. While Marlow and his crew are waiting to see if they will be attacked, the native’s headman tells
Marlow to “catch ‘im” (pg. 60). What does he mean by this and how does Marlow’s response reveal
how he feels about the natives.
13. The manager tells Marlow that he authorizes him “to take all the risks” (pg 63). What is the
manager referring to and why does he say this? How does Marlow respond?
14. Does Marlow think they will be attacked? Why or why not?
Name: _____________________________________ Per: ______ Date: ______________
Heart of Darkness Part II (pgs. 65-82)
1. At the top of page 65 Marlow says “what we afterwards alluded to as an attack was really an
attempt at repulse.” What do you think he means by this?
2. About a mile and a half below Kurtz’s station, Marlow has to choose a channel to take. Which one
does he choose? Describe the setting of this channel.
3. Marlow begins to describe the deck of his boat. He mentions the poleman and the fireman. What
do they do that causes Marlow to mention them? What is happening? Describe the events that
occur.
4. Marlow declares “I supposed Kurtz is dead as well by this time” (pg 70). Why does Marlow say
this and why does it bother him so much if Kurtz is dead?
5. At the bottom of page 71, Marlow yells “Absurd…this is the worst of trying to
tell…anchors…butcher…policeman…” Who is he speaking to and what point is he trying to make
throughout this outburst?
6. Marlow mentions a girl and women (pg 72). What is the purpose of him mentioning women?
7. Marlow says “it was impossible – not good for one either – trying to imagine” (pg 73). What is he
saying?
8. Marlow says “when they are gone you must fall back upon your innate strength, upon your own
capacity for faithfulness” (pg 73). What is the antecedent of “they” and what point is Marlow
trying to make?
9. Marlow says that he “heard at various times – were offered up to him…to Mr. Kurtz himself” (pg
75). What was offered up to Kurtz and what does this say about how Kurtz was treated in that
setting?
10. What did Marlow decide to do with the helmsman? How did the men on the boat react?
11. The crew finally gets to the inner station. Describe the setting of the inner station.
12. Describe the harlequin. What news of Kurtz does the harlequin give?