Grey Clawson
AP Literature
B. Vogt
23 September 2010
Chapter 1 – Heart of Darkness
1. a) A chicken and a spear relate to Marlow calling some of the natives Pilgrims, while
the author sees them as cannibals.
b) The book is centered around travelling and going on an adventure. Marlow looked
at maps and had an urge to explore at a young age.
c) There is a waiting room at the office that Marlow was first hired at. There are two
women knitting black wool in that room, and it represents a transition from light to dark.
Almost as if it was the “door” to the world Marlow was about to enter.
d) A cup of tea represents Marlow’s aunt as when Marlow last visited her they talked
over tea.
e) When first coming to the Congo, Marlow compares the native slaves’ arms to
ropes. There was also a little native kid who had a white rope tied around his neck when
Marlow first visited the office and the boy would not let go of the white rope around his
neck.
f) The big stones relate to the bricklayer that the others suspect a spy. He leaves the
stone and does nothing with them.
g) The candles represent hope, or a sign of light in the world of darkness Marlow has
entered.
h) Rivets are related to the book because a rivet is what Marlow needs to fix his boat
at one point. Rivets are repetitively brought up throughout the book.
2.
London during the Roman times
Many things are unsettled
Full of marsh and woods
Only water source was the Thames
No food for a civilized man
London now
Everything is very settled and
modernized
Completely industrialized, full of
buildings
Abundance of water via wells and
pumps
Plenty of food for a civilized man
3. a) The company doctor said this. He says this as he is checking out Marlow before
his departure.
b) The company accountant said this. He says this when Marlow first meets him.
c) Someone says this when a native accidently burned down a hut and were being
punished for it.
d) The company manager says this. He says this to Marlow in an interview with
Marlow, warning him of the conditions.
e) Marlow says this to the brickmaker. They were discussing the future of the
company.
4. a) Marlow refers to the natives as pilgrims.
Grey Clawson
AP Literature
B. Vogt
23 September 2010
b) Marlow’s aunt is sort of prejudiced against the native’s referring to them as brutes
or something of the sort.
c) They speak of the natives as something dark and mysterious. He speaks of them as
almost a creepy and ominous bearing type of people.
d) The accountant sees the natives as slaves. He sees them as people being fit for
work and looks down upon them.
5. a) It takes about 30 days to over a month for Marlow to repair the boat. He waits for
a rivet to repair the boat.
b) The manager believes that Kurtz needs to be removed and is conspiring against
him.
c) The manager, agents and Marlow will be relatively healthy compare to others
because they have not been through many hardships yet and are rather new to the area. It
is also because they have hoarded the goods and have it easy.
d) Marlow will travel with Kurtz once his boat is repaired.
e) Their boat will break and will have to wait for about a month before it can be fixed.