Heart of Darkness Flashcards
both at the beginning of the novel and at the end, marlow is described by the narrator as resembling this figure :
Buddha
why does Marlow compare the Congo river to a snake?
it resembles a snake, it is deadly like a snake, and it charms him like a snake.
who aids Marlow the most in getting his position as a captain?
his aunt
why does the doctor take the measurements of marlows skull?
he is trying to find a physiological reason for Marlow to seek danger
the chief accountant in the outer station reveals what about Kurtz’s ability to gather ivory?
he gather as much as all the other stations put together
what terrible news does Marlow receive at the center station?
the ship that he’s to captain has been sunk
what strange god does Marlow suggest the pilgrims who are at the center station worship?
ivory
why is the man at the center station so friendly to Marlow?
He thinks Marlow is a friend of Kurtz’s
what does the chief teach Marlow of Kurtz’s?
Kurtz is someone special
how is the savage “trained” to operate the boiler on the steamer?
he is told an evil sprit resides in the boiler and must be controlled with him
how does Marlow repel the attach f the natives on the steamer
he uses the seam whistle whos alien sound sends the natives running
who dies from the native attack?
one of the cannibals and the helmsman
what terrifies Marlow more than anything after the attack
that the attack signifies that Kurtz is dead or out of reach
what makes Marlow break the flow of the narrative and return to the stories frame?
someone sings loudly in the middle of his storytelling and someone calls his actions during the attack absurd
what does the sound of the drums heard along the steamboat trip to the inner station signify
a warning
in the beginning of his report on how to deal with natives of the Congo, what does Kurtz recommend be done?
approach them as if they were gods
at the end of the report, what is Kurtz’s final recommendation for dealing with natives?
all must be exterminated
What two groups are angry with Marlow for dumping the helmsman’s body and why?
savages and pilgrims because the loss of a meal and lack of proper burial
What kind of ornaments decorate Kurtz’s home?
human heads
why has the company seemingly abandon Kurtz?
his “unsound methods” : give the company
what bothers Marlow so much about his first meeting with Kurtz?
that Kurtz has the power to save or destroy him
what secret does the Russian reveal about the attack on the steamer ?
Kurtz ordered it
in the return trip, what happens to Kurtz?
he gets very sick and dies
what is the mood that surrounds the intendeds house?
funeral like
