Heart of Darkness Discussion groups
For Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness you will be working in groups of 4 to answer some of
the discussion questions I have devised for you. Ultimately, your smaller group work will give
rise to a larger class discussion, which will be led entirely by you. The class discussion will
address thematic elements as well as symbolism, diction, and frame (structure).
After two days of classwork (and homework), the class will convene on Monday, January 28 for
a discussion. Discussions will continue through Friday, February 1. An in-class essay on
Monday, February 4 will zero in on the study of the novella. We will conclude our discussions
on Wednesday, February 6 (an in-service day).
GROUP I
Morgan Evans, Doug Judice, Brian Decker, Allison Mooney
Discussion questions:
Marlow constantly uses vague and often redundant phrases like “unspeakable secrets” and
“inconceivable mystery.” At other times, however, he is capable of powerful imagery and
considerable eloquence. Why does Marlow use vague and “inconclusive” language so
frequently?
Theme work:
Lack of truth and man’s ongoing quest for meaning: The novella is rife with imagery and
language that confounds the reader and leaves Marlow questioning his reality. Though the
novella assumes the archetypal genre of the hero’s quest (in which the hero must undergo a set of
trials and tests on the path to enlightenment), the typical form of that quest becomes corrupted in
Heart of Darkness. (You may or may not argue that—due to the frame of the story—the hero’s
quest may actually get turned right-side up.) Consider 4 basic steps of the hero’s journey, and
apply them to Heart of Darkness. If you note corruptions (or deviations from the archetypal
pattern) identify any significance or authorial intent that arises from such deviations.
Four basic steps of the hero cycle are: Call to Adventure, Temptations/Obstacles, Supernatural
Aid (this can be an actual supernatural being or a spiritual one), Return Home (after the journey,
the hero must return home to merge with his prior self).
Group II
Andrew Farinaccio, Emily Poniatowski, Desta Pulley, Eric Stockl
Discussion questions:
Think about the framing story that structures Heart of Darkness. Why is it important to narrate
Marlow in the act of telling his story? Why is the framing narrator unnamed? What is the benefit
of the novella being approximately 100 pages as opposed to being a full novel (and…no funny
answers with this one )?
Theme work:
Nature as man’s adversary and work as a saving grace:
Nature is not always man’s best friend. In many of Jack London’s works, we see man pitted
against nature—and sometimes nature wins. Conrad also depicts nature as man’s adversary. How
is nature depicted adversarially in Heart of Darkness? How does this relate to Marlow’s
realizations about his life?
Another key theme of the novel is man’s compulsion to work. Work is depicted in the novella as
almost entirely a positive thing. Record references in the text to work and Marlow’s perception
of how it operates positively. Identify other references to work as a corrupting element in daily
operations as well as the broader scope of civilization.
Group III
Cameron Menezes, Tom Wang, Sean Lin, Julia Katibzedah
Discussion questions:
1. The Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe has claimed that Heart of Darkness is an “offensive and
deplorable book” that “set[s] Africa up as a foil to Europe, as a place of negations at once remote
and vaguely familiar, in comparison with which Europe's own state of spiritual grace will be
manifest.” Achebe says that Conrad does not provide enough of an outside frame of reference to
enable the book to be read as ironic or critical of imperialism. Based on the evidence in the text,
argue for or against Achebe's assertion.
Theme work:
The many faces of colonialism: The novel takes place in Belgian controlled African Congo.
Though most works about colonialism tend to focus on the country being colonized, Conrad
focuses more attention on the effects of colonization on the Europeans in the novel. Why? What
social commentary might Conrad be making as he shifts this perspective for his own novella?
Research Conrad’s biography (a bit...don’t go overboard [no pun intended!]). Identify ways in
which his experiences may have impacted this novel? This is conjecture, though you must still
make every effort to support your ideas.
Group IV
Heather Naumovitz, Alyson Yu, Lauren Crawford, Liz Witte
Discussion questions:
As you address the novel as a group, call awareness to Conrad’s use of repeated “doubling”
patterns of opposition and contrast in Heart of Darkness: light and dark, white and black,
“savagery” and “civilization,” outer and inner? What does Conrad accomplish by this contrast,
especially of light and dark?
Describe the use of “darkness” both in the book's title and as a symbol throughout the text. What
does darkness represent? Is its meaning constant or does it change?
Theme work:
The corrupting influence of power and the ensuing hollowness of civilization:
The novel is an account of two journeys: a physical trip up the river and the psychological
development that the trip draws forth from Marlow (and dare I say, the reader?!). As you go back
through Heart of Darkness as a group, trace—and list in detail—plot events, characters Marlow
encounters, conversations he hears, physical landscape descriptions and the deepening/darkening
evolution of that landscape. As you identify those physical elements, also keep record of
Marlow’s psychological realizations/commentary/epiphanies. What, for instance, does Marlow
learn about the “unpoliced” human soul left outside of “civilized society” for too long?
Group V
Ziqin Liu, Kelli Berg, Sarah Speck
Discussion questions:
Why does Heart of Darkness have two competing heroes? Make the case for either Marlow or
Kurtz as the true “hero” of the book. How do you define “hero” for this book? Why doesn't
Marlow kill Kurtz?
Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's fiancée about Kurtz's last words? Why not tell her the truth, or
tell her that Kurtz had no last words, rather than affirming her sentimental and mundane ideas?
Theme work:
Racial and gender inequality; man’s inhumanity to man:
Race and gender are problematic in this novel. Author Ralph Ellison wrote about his novel
Invisible Man: “Institutional racism dehumanizes both the oppressed and the oppressors.”
What do women represent in Heart of Darkness? There are three significant women in this story:
Kurtz's Intended, Marlow's aunt, and the African woman at Kurtz's station. How are they
described? Contrast Kurtz's African mistress with his Intended. Are both negative portrayals of
women? Describe how each functions in the narrative. Does it make any difference in your
interpretation to know that Conrad supported the women’s suffrage movement? What does
Marlow mean early in Part 1 when he suggests that women are “out of touch with truth” and live
in a beautiful world of their own?