Name: ______
Literary Elements -- the parts or ‘elements ‘ of the story
Theme – the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work; they often have to do
with widely held human concerns such as love, death, justice, happiness, etc.; the
big idea that a story conveys aboutlife.
Madness as a result of Imperialism–Madness is closely related to imperialism in this novella. The environmental conditions at the heart of the African continent – the stifling heat, the incessant drums, the whispering bush, the mysterious light – play havoc with the unadapted European mind. Africa becomes responsible for the mental disintegration and physical illness of many Europeans. Two types of ‘insanity’ evolve. One type is a serious mental illness or break with reality and the other is when a person believes that anything is allowable in such an atmosphere because no restraints are placed on a person and their actions.
What is the ‘noble cause’ ? ______
How has Fresleven apparently changed? ______
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Why did the doctor want to measure Marlow’s head? ______
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Why do you think the doctor never sees any of the people returning from Africa?
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What ‘change takes place inside’? ______
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Symbol --something that stands both for itself and an idea or concept
Conrad uses multiple symbols in his description of Marlow’s visit to the Belgian Trade Company’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Whited Sepulchre = Brussels, Belgium hypocrisy of imperialism
This symbol has its roots in the Bible. In Matthew 23:27 Jesus refers to the Pharisees as ‘whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness.’
Knowing what this term means, why would Conrad refer to Brussels, the headquarters of the trade company, as a whited sepulcher?
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What was the purpose of imperialism? ______
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Why would the ‘whited sepulchre’ also apply to imperialism in Africa? ______
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What is hypocritical about imperialism? ______
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the knitting women = the mythological Fates
When Marlow arrives at the offices, he is met by two women who sit knitting with black wool. These women add to the ominous feeling of ‘something not quite right.’ They represent the Moirae, or the fates of the underworld. Their job is to spin, measure and cut the thread of life.
What could this mean for Marlow’s journey? ______
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