Heart of Darkness Part II Bastante English III

Part II Marlow overhears the General Manager and his uncle speaking poorly of Kurtz – they are annoyed at his influence in the Company The uncle advises the General Manager to take advantage of the fact that there is no authority around and tells him to hang the trader they find out is stealing Company profits – the ultimate sign that civilization is hollow Suspicions regarding Kurtz’s health and mental state arise when they hear that he stopped halfway down the river to turn back around The General Manager implies that the tropical disease in the jungle will kill Kurtz – something he is happy about

Part II The Eldorado Expedition heads into the jungle Marlow finally finishes repairing the ship after three months and sets off upriver with the General Manager, a few pilgrims, and about 30 cannibals Marlow often expresses his preferences for the donkeys and cannibals to the men because they are primitive and simple, so they aren’t hollow The trip is long and difficult, Marlow describes the jungle as a “thing monstrous and free.” He is thankful that his work keeping the ship afloat occupies his attention most of the time, and hides the “inner truth” Why does Marlow feel a sense of kinship with the “primitive” natives? All men have aspects of the primitive within them

Part II The men come upon a hut where they see a cryptic note and a book on sailing written in code. Marlow is astonished by the book and calls is “unmistakably real” – he respects the effort it must have taken to produce. Marlow expresses his eagerness to get to Kurtz after the General Manager orders him to anchor the ship in the middle of the river – Marlow believes Kurtz to be some sort of answer for something he is seeking.

Part II Everything warns the men against going forward, like the fog and the screaming natives in the distance, but the General Manager urges Marlow to continue on. The white fog blinds the steamship and hides the view of the dark jungle – just as how to “whited sepulcher” of civilization blinds itself from the primitive darkness of its own heart. A conflict breaks out between the men on the ship and the natives in the jungle – the helmsman, an African, opens fire on the natives and is in turn shot with an arrow and killed. Representative of the absurdity of the colonial effort What article of clothing became soaked with blood and made Marlow want to change immediately? His socks and shoes

Part II Marlow feels intense disappointment when he realizes Kurtz is probably already dead – his quest for truth and a civilization that isn’t hollow is likely over Marlow clarifies to the men on the Nellie that Kurtz isn’t dead – in fact, he has gone from being Marlow’s answer to the hollowness of civilization into being a monster who abandoned his morals Allowed sacrifices made in his honor Wrote a treatise called On the Suppression of Savage Customs where he argues white men have the responsibility to help the natives Includes his fiancé as a personal possession

Part II (end) They arrive at the Inner Station and find it to be in perfect shape and they meet a white Russian man dressed in colorful patches (the harlequin man) – his clothing bears a resemblance to the map of Africa Marlow saw in the Company’s headquarters He explains to Marlow that the natives attacked the ship because they don’t want Kurtz to be taken away – the Russian has fallen under the spell of Kurtz’s amazing eloquence “He has enlarged my mind” Why do the natives and the Russian adore Kurtz? His ability to speak