HEART OF DARKNESS
By Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)
Polish-born English author and master mariner Joseph
Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness (1902);
“. . . No, it is impossible; it is impossible to
convey the life-sensation of any given
epoch of
one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its
meaning—its subtle and
penetrating essence. It is
impossible. We live, as we dream—alone. . . .” (Part 1)
With haunting verse Conrad has crafted a chilling tale
laden with lush imagery and symbolism describing the
ambiguity between good and evil. “He was obeyed, yet
he inspired neither love nor fear, nor even respect. He
inspired uneasiness. That was it!”—(ibid) With characters
as anti-hero he examines man’s moral complexities and capacity for corruption and evil,
and the dark depths of the human psyche;
“Anything approaching the change that came over his features I have never seen
before, and hope never to see again. Oh, I wasn’t touched. I was fascinated. It was
as though a veil had been rent. I saw on that ivory face the expression of sombre
pride, of ruthless power, of craven terror—of an intense and hopeless despair. Did
he live his life again in every detail of desire, temptation, and surrender during
that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some
image, at some vision—he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath”
(ibid, Part 3).
While it addresses the timeless
struggle of man’s self-deception
and inner conflicts, influenced
by Conrad’s own sense of
isolation from his past, the story
of Marlow’s journey into the
Congo also exposes the clashes,
exploitation and barbarity
between European and African
societies during 19th Century
colonial expansionism.
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Themes Discussed
 The failure of morals in the face of greed
 A human being’s confrontation with nature
 A human being’s lack of humanity
 An individual’s struggle toward understanding, awareness, and/or enlightenment
 The evil of unchecked ambition
 The clash between civilization and the wilderness
Ideas Disucussed
* The Journey
* The Jungle
* Darkness and the color black
* Light and the color white
* Assumption vs. Reality
* Madness
* Futility
* To “civilize”
* Patterns of Three (3 chapters, 3 stations...)
* Novel Structure (like Russian dolls)
* Outer vs. Inner
* Character Analysis
Reading Schedule
Monday
23
Tuesday
24
Monday
February
Wednesday
25
The Congo
Thursday
Friday
26
Joseph Conrad
27
Novel Structure
and
Impressionism
Hw: 9-12
Thursday
Friday
March
Wednesday
Tuesday
2
3
4
5
6
Hw: 12-17
9
Log I due
Hw: 33-38
16
Hw: 17-23
10
Hw: 23-32
11
12
Hw: 39-45
17
Hw: 46-52
18
13
Log II due
Hw: 53-60
20
Hw: 61-66
Hw: 67-71
19
Log III due
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AP English Heart of Darkness: Log Assignment (35 Daily Assignment points)
As you read the novella, please complete the following Log Assignment for each section.
1. Record two textural references to work or keeping busy per section in Heart of
Darkness. Similar to your analysis of quotes from Othello, provide explanations for
each quote that give the quote context and explain the author’s purpose and/or impact
on the reader’s understanding in regards to Marlow and Conrad’s position on the
value of work. (6 points)
2. Record two textural references to the futility (uselessness, incongruity) of the
European presence in the Congo per section in Heart of Darkness. Provide
explanations for each quote that give the quote context and explain the author’s
purpose and/or impact on the reader’s understanding in regards to what Conrad seems
to be suggesting. (6 points)
3. Select a passage (2-3 paragraphs) from the novel that exemplifies Conrad’s
impressionistic style. Provide a short analysis (1-2 paragraphs) of the passage,
including/focusing on the textual details that most clearly reveal aspects of this
impressionistic writing. (5 points)
4. Pick two of the following motifs (recurring images and/or ideas) per section, and find
two textual references to support each motif (4 quotes in total). Then, discuss how
the motif operates within the passage or context of the novel as a whole and what you
believe Conrad’s purpose is in highlighting this motif.
Please choose from the following options: savages, grass, rivets, jungle, river,
huts, disease, progress, madness, civilization, light, efficiency, death images
(bones/skull/heads on stakes). (12 points)
5. Find two different textural examples of an allusion (biblical or mythological
reference) per section in Heart of Darkness. Provide explanations for each quote that
give the quote context and explain the Conrad’s purpose and/or impact on the
reader’s understanding. (6 points)
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Study Questions: Section One
1. Conrad structures Heart of Darkness as a frame story. For a writer, what benefits does
this structure provide?
2. The unnamed narrator comments that Marlow is “not typical” of seamen. In what
ways is he different?
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