AI Heart of Darkness

17 October 2007
pgs 3-10

A:"I don't want to bother you much with what happened to me personally," he began... (pg 10)

I:The story shifts from the narrator to Marlow. Marlow begins to give information on how they got to that point of the story.

A:"... what I saw, how I went up that river to the place where I first met the poor chap. It was the farthest point of navigation and the culminating point of my experiences. It seemed somehow to throw a kind of light on everything about me-and into my thoughts. It was sombre enough, too-and pitiful-not extraordinary in any way-not very clear either. No, not very clear. And yet it seemed to throw a kind of light". (pg 10)

I:Conrad uses this as an example of illusion vs. reality.

18 October 2007
pgs 11-18

A:Often far away ther I thought of these two, guarding the door of Darkness, knitting black wool as for a warm pall, one introducing, introducing continuosly to the unknown, the other scrutinizing the cheery and foolish faces with unconcerned old eyes. (pg 16)

I:The color black might be used to be associated with Darkness. As the two guards are knitting black wool while guarding the door of Darkness.

A:"It appears the Company had received news that one of their Captains had been killed in a scuffle with the natives." (pg 12)

I:It says that a black native killed a Captain without describing what happened. They are accusing the native of killing the Captain for no reason.

19 October 2007
pgs 19-26

A:"They were called criminals, and the outraged law, like the bursting shells, had come to them, an insoluble mystery from the sea." (pg 24)

I:Marlow describes the six black slaves that he saw as criminals instead of enemies. Altough he says it is mysterious why they are criminals.

A:"They were dying slowly-it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they wre nothing earthly now-nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation..." (pg 26)

I:Conrad goes against contemporary beliefs. Also goes against the quote he had written before. He writes that these slaves weren't criminals they were just people dying because of mistreatment.

20 October 2007
pgs 27-34

A:"While I stood horrorstruck, one of the creatures rose to his hands and knees, and went off on all-fours towards the river to drink." (pg 27)

I:Marlow refers to a slave as creature. Even though he is witnessing this he can't help them out.

A:"Well, if a lot of mysterious niggers armed with all kinds of fearful weapons suddenly took to travelling on the road between Deal and Gravesend, catching the yokels right and left to carry heavy loads for them..." (pg 31)

I:Marlow says that if black people come out with weapons than that is when they should be fearful. He also says if that happens than all the farms would be emptied.