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HEART OF DARKNESS Questions
Directions: Complete the following questions as you read the novella. Address the
quotations right on this paper. Address the questions on separate paper and attach to this
sheet to submit. Place proper page headings on all papers.
Heart of Darkness Quotes: Book 1
Introduction
The most interesting parts of a novel usually 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."
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."
Heart of Darkness: Questions Book 1
Directions: Answer the following question fully on separate paper.
1. What is the setting of this story? 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?
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."
5. What does Marlow keep comparing the river to? Why is that an interesting
comparison?
6. Besides knitting, what do the two women do in the office? What do they each seem to
symbolize?
5. Why did Fresleven go nuts? Why did he die?
6. Marlowe’s Aunt calls her nephew an "emissary of light." What does she imagine her
nephew is about to do?
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?
10. Describe the station manager. What was his supreme gift? Why doesn’t Marlow like
him?
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?
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 what do they seem to signify?
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
Directions: Answer the following questions fully on a separate sheet of paper.
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 happened? What color is
the fog? Why do you suppose that is?
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?
How does Marlow drive the natives away?
9. What did he want to have from Kurtz?
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 "The horror, the horror."
10. "The last word he said–was your name."
Heart of Darkness: Questions: Part 3
Directions: Directions: Answer the following questions fully on a separate sheet of
paper.
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?
6. What happens to Kurtz right before he dies? What do his last words probably mean?
Why does Marlowe blow out the candle? Why won’t Marlowe leave the dining room?
7. What does it mean "he had something to say." Why was Kurtz’ last words "a victory."
8. What does Marlow learn about Kurtz back in the city?
9. What does Marlow want to give up? How has he gone about doing that?
10. 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?
11. Did she know him truly? What didn’t she know? Why doesn’t Marlow tell her?