A Study Guide 20th Century Novel For The Student Of Honours Fourth Year English
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – Brief Questions with Answers
Ans. Joseph Conrad is primarily known as a writer of sea stories and one of the leaders of the Modernist movement. His novels display a masterful narrative technique.
Ans. Marlow secures the job of skipper of a river steamboat in the Congo region belonging to the Belgian Trading Company. The vacancy is created when the previous captain is killed by a native. His aunt helps him to obtain the job.
Q.27. Whom does Marlow meet first at the company’s headquarters?
Ans. At the company’s headquarters in Brussels, Marlow first meets two women at the reception, one fat and the other slim. He finds them knitting black wool while sitting on straw-bottomed chairs.
Q.28. What do the knitting women signify to Marlow?
Ans. The two knitting women appear to Marlow as Sin and Death guarding the “Gates of Hell,” similar to the figures found in Paradise Lost.
Q.29. Do you find any parallel to Marlow’s journey to the heart of darkness?
Ans. Parallels to Marlow’s journey to the heart of darkness can be found in the journeys described in Virgil’s Aeneid and Dante’s Inferno.
Q.30. What, according to Marlow, does the knitting of black wool by the two women suggest?
Ans. According to Marlow, the knitting of black wool by the two women refers to the woolly heads of the Africans and their calculated exploitation. The women represent dark powers or fates deciding human destiny.
Q.31. How does Marlow’s voyage become an exposure to the colonial system?
Ans. The reference to Roman colonization in Britain sets the pattern for Marlow’s story. The voyage enables him to observe the workings of the modern colonial system based on the principle that “might is right.”
Q.32. What is Marlow’s impression of European colonization?
Ans. While going to join his assignment in the Congo region, Marlow sees from the deck of a French steamer an endless chain of French settlements. European powers, both great and small, extended this colonial system like the tentacles of an octopus in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Q.33. What is Marlow’s attitude to colonization?
Ans. Marlow denounces colonization as robbery with violence, aggravated murder of innocents on a vast scale.
Q.34. What is the meaning of “whited sepulchre”?
Ans. When Marlow arrives at the company’s headquarters in Brussels, he describes the city as a “whited sepulchre.” This means that the place appears outwardly pleasant and moral but is actually corrupt and rotten within.
Q.35. How does Marlow feel during his voyage on a French steamer?
Ans. The slow movement of the French steamer bores Marlow. He feels depressed because of inactivity, isolation, monotony, and lack of contact with fellow passengers. He also becomes aware of the gap between lofty ideals and practical realities.
Q.36. What incidents during Marlow’s journey reveal to him the brutality of the colonial system?
Ans. The sight of a French man-of-war firing aimlessly into the continent, the useless blasting of rocks, natives dying of hunger and disease, and six natives chained together with iron collars around their necks reveal to Marlow the brutal nature of colonial exploitation.
Q.37. How does Marlow guess the company’s incompetent indifference?
Ans. On his way to the company’s station, Marlow sees a boiler wallowing in the grass, a railway truck lying overturned, rusted machinery, heaps of rusty rails, six black men guarded arrogantly, and the sight of an animated skeleton. These clearly expose the company’s incompetent indifference to the natives.
Q.38. How do both black and white, according to Conrad, denote death?
Ans. Black symbolizes physical death caused by starvation, cruelty, and exploitation, while white signifies spiritual and moral death through selfishness and senseless exploitation.
Q.39. Who is the first white man Marlow meets at the company’s station?
Ans. The first white man Marlow meets at the company’s station is the Chief Accountant.
Q.40. What is Marlow’s impression of the Chief Accountant?
Ans. Marlow describes the Chief Accountant as a remarkable man, an object of respect and a walking miracle. Ironically, he maintains appearances and standards of white imperialism despite the demoralizing working conditions.
Q.41. How does Marlow describe the dress and appearance of the Chief Accountant?
Ans. To Marlow, the Chief Accountant appears like a “hairdresser’s dummy.” He wears a high starched collar, white cuffs, snowy trousers, a clean necktie, a light alpaca jacket, and varnished boots. His hair is neatly parted, brushed, and oiled under a green-lined parasol held in a large white hand.
Q.42. What does the Chief Accountant symbolize?
Ans. The Chief Accountant outwardly symbolizes efficiency and discipline but appears ridiculous amid the grim wilderness of the Congo.
Q.43. What does the Chief Accountant say to Marlow about Mr. Kurtz?
Ans. The Chief Accountant informs Marlow that Mr. Kurtz is a remarkable man, a first-class agent in charge of the Inner Station, and that he collects as much ivory as all the other agents combined.
Q.44. How does Marlow reach the Central Station of the company?
Ans. Marlow undertakes a fifteen-day journey on foot with a caravan of sixty black men and one white man to reach the Central Station.
Q.45. What disquieting news awaits Marlow at the Central Station?
Ans. At the Central Station, Marlow is informed that his steamer has been wrecked and lies at the bottom of the river.
Q.46. What is Marlow’s experience of his first interview with the manager of the Central Station?
Ans. Marlow receives a cold reception from the manager. Though exhausted after walking since dawn, the manager neither asks him to sit nor shows sympathy, but instead shows irritation at his late arrival.
Q.47. Describe the Manager of the Central Station as Marlow sees him.
Ans. The Manager is of middle size and ordinary build, with cold blue eyes and a glance that falls on one “as heavy and trenchant as an axe.”
Q.48. How does Marlow estimate the Manager of the Central Station?
Ans. Marlow considers him a common trader lacking administrative ability. He is obeyed but inspires neither love, fear, nor respect.
Q.49. What proves the inefficiency of the Manager of the Central Station?
Ans. His inefficiency is proved by his failure to procure rivets needed to repair the wrecked steamer.
Q.50. Who come to the Central Station instead of rivets?
Ans. Instead of rivets, a group called the “Eldorado Exploring Expedition,” led by the Manager’s uncle, arrives at the Central Station. They are merely greedy adventurers seeking plunder.
Q.51. How does Marlow describe the Manager’s uncle?
Ans. Marlow describes him as “a butcher in a poor neighbourhood,” with a fat belly, short legs, and eyes expressing cunning and cruelty.
Q.52. What does the Manager of the Central Station symbolize?
Ans. The Manager symbolizes spiritual emptiness and moral hollowness. Through him, Conrad exposes the greed, ambition, and selfishness of the white traders.
Q.53. How does Marlow first sense a conspiracy against Kurtz?
Ans. When a grass shed catches fire, Marlow overhears the Manager speaking about Kurtz and taking advantage of the incident, leading him to suspect a conspiracy.
Q.54. Who are the Faithless Pilgrims?
Ans. The “Faithless Pilgrims” are the white agents at the Central Station. The term is ironic, as they have betrayed moral purpose by exploiting the natives for ivory.
Q.55. What is the usual practice of the Faithless Pilgrims?
Ans. They wander aimlessly around the station holding sticks, constantly muttering the word “ivory.”
Q.56. What does Marlow say about the nature and activities of the Faithless Pilgrims?
Ans. They waste time gossiping, backbiting, and plotting against one another instead of working.
Q.57. Why does the Manager show anger toward Kurtz?
Ans. The Manager resents Kurtz for rejecting his appointed assistant and for accusing him of interference.
Q.58. What impression do you get of Kurtz’s painting?
Ans. The painting of a blindfolded woman carrying a torch symbolizes the false ideal of enlightened colonization.
Q.59. What is Marlow’s source of comfort at the Central Station?
Ans. Marlow’s only comfort is his damaged steamer, whose repair keeps him away from the corrupt station life.
Q.60. What makes the Manager envious of Kurtz?
Ans. Kurtz’s success and large collection of ivory make the Manager envious.
Q.61. What important information does Marlow gather by overhearing the Manager and his uncle?
Ans. Marlow suspects that the Manager is deliberately delaying supplies to hasten Kurtz’s death.
Q.62. What is Marlow’s feeling during his journey to the Inner Station?
Ans. The journey feels like a return to prehistoric times—a journey into the heart of darkness.
Q.63. Who accompany Marlow on his steamer journey?
Ans. Marlow is accompanied by four white men, including the Manager, and a native crew of thirty cannibals.
Q.64. What is Marlow’s feeling about the moving steamer?
Ans. He feels the steamer moves “like a sluggish beetle crawling on the floor of a lofty portico.”
Q.65. Is Marlow alone during his voyage to the Inner Station?
Ans. Though surrounded by others, Marlow feels spiritually isolated because his quest for truth is beyond their understanding.
Q.66. What does the expression “Catch ’im, give ’im to us” signify?
Ans. The starving cannibal crew utter these words, expressing their desire to eat the source of the noise they hear in the forest.
Q.67. What is the system of payment to the cannibal crew?
Ans. Each crew member receives three pieces of brass wire weekly as wages, which they use as currency in riverside villages.
Q.68. How do you infer the Manager’s cruelty and hypocrisy?
Ans. His cruelty is evident in paying the crew useless wages, while his hypocrisy is revealed in his pretended concern for Kurtz’s life.
Q.69. How is Marlow’s ship attacked by the natives?
Ans. After the fog clears, arrows suddenly fly from the forest toward the ship.
Q.70. What is the consequence of the attack?
Ans. The helmsman is fatally wounded, the fireman hides, and the crew panics.
Q.71. Why does Marlow fail to anticipate the attack?
Ans. He mistakes the natives’ cries for sorrow rather than a war cry.
Q.72. Why does Marlow assume they are safe?
Ans. The dense fog makes him feel secure, but he fails to anticipate danger once it lifts.
Q.73. What is Marlow’s account of the dead helmsman?
Ans. Marlow sympathizes deeply, removes the spear, notices the hungry crew, and decides to throw the body into the river.
Q.74. How does Marlow dispose of the helmsman’s corpse?
Ans. He lifts the body and throws it into the river.
Q.75. What do you mean by the word “harlequin”?
Ans. A harlequin is a comic character in traditional theatre, wearing brightly coloured clothes with a diamond pattern.
Q.76. Who looks like a harlequin to Marlow?
Ans. On reaching the Inner Station, Marlow sees a white man on the other side of the river who looks like a harlequin. He is a young Russian seaman and the son of an archpriest.
Q.77. What information does the Russian give to Marlow about the natives?
Ans. The Russian tells Marlow that the native attackers are simple people. He says that no firearm is needed—only a loud screech of the boiler is enough to scare them away. They attacked Marlow’s steamboat because they did not want Kurtz to leave the station.
Q.78. What information about Kurtz does Marlow get from the Russian?
Ans. The Russian tells Marlow about Kurtz’s obsession with ivory and informs him that the natives worship Kurtz as their god.
Q.79. Why does the Russian fail to recognize the diabolic nature of Kurtz?
Ans. Because of his apparent naïveté and blind devotion, the Russian fails to recognize the diabolic nature of Kurtz.
Q.80. How does the Russian appreciate Kurtz?
Ans. Regarding Kurtz as an extraordinary figure, the Russian tells Marlow that Kurtz has “enlarged his mind.” As a devoted disciple, he ignores Kurtz’s cruelty and obsession and firmly believes that Kurtz is a great man.
Q.81. What kind of intimacy does the Russian have with Kurtz?
Ans. The Russian informs Marlow that he was very close to Kurtz and attended him twice during his illness. He also admits that he is so devoted to Kurtz that he feels jealous of the native woman who is Kurtz’s housekeeper and so-called mistress.
Q.82. What request does the Russian make to Marlow?
Ans. The Russian requests Marlow to take Kurtz away as quickly as possible for medical treatment, as he is seriously ill.
Q.83. What does Marlow see when he turns his field glasses on Kurtz’s house?
Ans. When Marlow turns his field glasses toward Kurtz’s house, he sees a group of people bringing Kurtz down the slope on a stretcher.
Q.84. Why do a large number of natives emerge from the forest when the ailing Kurtz is being carried on a stretcher?
Ans. A large number of armed natives emerge from the forest to prevent Kurtz from being taken away by the white men led by the Manager of the Central Station.
Q.85. When do the stretcher-bearers move with the ailing Kurtz to the steamer’s cabin?
Ans. The stretcher-bearers move with the ailing Kurtz only after the natives disappear into the forest at Kurtz’s command, and the sick man lies quietly on the stretcher.
Q.86. What information does Marlow gather about the native woman among the warriors on the riverbank?
Ans. The Russian tells Marlow that the magnificent native woman standing among the warriors will try to prevent Kurtz from being taken away by the white men.
Q.87. What is Kurtz’s relationship with the native woman?
Ans. The native woman is Kurtz’s housekeeper at the Inner Station and possibly his mistress, as well as a partner in his involvement in the Satanic “unspeakable rites.”
Q.88. How does Marlow describe the native woman?
Ans. Marlow describes her as a wild and magnificent woman who moves majestically with measured steps. She wears a striped cloth and jingling ornaments, and her well-combed hair looks like a helmet.
Q.89. What does the native woman symbolize?
Ans. The native woman symbolizes the savage environment of which she is a part. She also represents Kurtz’s passionate involvement with the physical world and primal instincts.
Q.90. How does Marlow portray womanhood in the wilds of the Congo?
Ans. The native woman—Kurtz’s housekeeper and so-called mistress at the Inner Station—is presented as the finest specimen of womanhood in the Congo wilderness. She embodies the primeval life force that tempts man toward destruction and death.
Q.91. What exchange of words between Kurtz and the Manager does Marlow hear behind the curtain?
Ans. Behind the curtain, Marlow hears Kurtz complain against the Manager, accusing him and his men of caring only about saving ivory and not Kurtz himself. Kurtz also accuses the Manager of interfering with his plans and expresses his determination to return and carry out his ideas.
Q.92. What does the Manager tell Marlow, threatening Kurtz?
Ans. After coming out of Kurtz’s cabin, where he had been hiding behind the curtain, the Manager tells Marlow that he will send a report to the Company against Kurtz, recommending vigorous action against him for doing more harm than good.
Q.93. Why does the Manager turn his back on Marlow?
Ans. When Marlow remarks that the Manager’s report against Kurtz will not be taken seriously because Kurtz is a remarkable man, and sarcastically adds that the Brickmaker would be happy to prepare a report against Kurtz, the Manager turns his back on him in anger.
Q.94. What is Marlow’s guess about the reason for Kurtz’s attempt to escape from the ship?
Ans. Marlow guesses that Kurtz’s brutal and primitive instincts have bound him to the forest and the native people. Therefore, Kurtz attempts to escape from the steamer in order to remain with them.
Q.110. How is Marlow inspired to visit Kurtz’s “Intended”?
Ans. Marlow is inspired to visit Kurtz’s Intended by the image of the woman that he forms in his mind from her portrait.
Q.111. How does the “Intended” appear before Marlow?
Ans. Kurtz’s fiancée, the “Intended,” appears before Marlow dressed entirely in black. It is clear that she is suffering from deep grief. She listens to Marlow without suspicion, reservation, or concern for herself.
Q.112. What is Marlow’s answer when the Intended asks about Kurtz’s last words?
Ans. When the Intended asks about Kurtz’s last words, Marlow lies and says that Kurtz spoke her name at the moment of his death.
Q.113. What is Marlow’s justification for lying to the Intended?
Ans. Marlow feels that, in view of the Intended’s complete faith and devotion to Kurtz, he is justified in not revealing the truth. He believes that he is not strong enough to protect her from the darkness that would destroy her illusions.
Q.114. How does the Intended react to Marlow’s statement about Kurtz’s last words?
Ans. On learning that Kurtz uttered her name in his last moments, the Intended breaks down in tears and exclaims, “I knew it—I was sure.” Marlow is astonished by her blind faith and feels remorse for having told a lie.
Q.115. How does Marlow react after telling a lie to Kurtz’s Intended?
Ans. Marlow is deeply troubled by the Intended’s long-cherished faith in Kurtz’s supposed ideals and devotion. He feels that he may be punished by God for lying about Kurtz’s last words.
Q.116. Do you find any moral purpose in Joseph Conrad’s depiction of Marlow in the pose of a Buddha?
Ans. Marlow’s posture, resembling that of a Buddha while narrating Heart of Darkness on the deck of the Nellie, reflects Conrad’s moral purpose. It suggests that prolonged contact with evil can completely dehumanize a person, as seen in the case of Kurtz.
Q.117. What is the “Eldorado Exploring Expedition”?
Ans. The “Eldorado Exploring Expedition” is a group of explorers secretly associated with the Manager of the Central Station of the Belgian Trading Company.
Q.118. Who is the leader of the Eldorado Exploring Expedition?
Ans. The leader of the Eldorado Exploring Expedition is the uncle of the Manager of the Central Station.
Q.119. How do the members of the Eldorado Exploring Expedition assemble at the Central Station?
Ans. The members assemble at the Central Station in five groups over a period of three weeks. Each group is led by a donkey carrying a white man, followed by weary and irritable black men loaded with tents, camp stools, and other equipment.
Q.120. What does Marlow assume to be the purpose of the Eldorado Exploring Expedition?
Ans. Marlow assumes that the purpose of the expedition is to dig treasure from the depths of the earth. He compares its members to burglars breaking open an iron safe in search of hidden wealth.
Q.121. What is the metaphorical meaning of Marlow’s journey through the Congo River?
Ans. Although Marlow undertakes a physical journey through the dark regions of the Congo, metaphorically it represents a journey into the dark recesses of the human mind.
Q.122. Do you find moral and spiritual aspects in Marlow’s personality?
Ans. While narrating Heart of Darkness on the deck of the Nellie, Marlow resembles the image of a Buddha, highlighting the moral and spiritual dimensions of his character.
Q.123. What truth or self-knowledge does Marlow gain from Kurtz’s life and death?
Ans. By observing the moral degeneration of a civilized man like Kurtz, Marlow explores the subconscious depths of the human psyche, including his own. He realizes that prolonged exposure to evil could have led him down the same destructive path.
Q.124. How many cannibals are there on board Marlow’s steamer?
Ans. There are thirty cannibals on board Marlow’s steamer, forming the crew.
Q.125. Why does Marlow praise the cannibal crew?
Ans. Marlow praises the cannibal crew for their discipline, devotion to duty, and remarkable self-restraint.
Q.126. What is the main function of the cannibal crew?
Ans. When the steamer gets stuck in shallow water, the cannibal crew disembark and pushes it forward. This is their primary function.
Q.127. Why are the cannibal crew starving?
Ans. The cannibal crew starve because no food is provided for them. The hippo meat they brought rotted and had to be thrown into the river.
Q.128. Why is Marlow astonished by the cannibals’ self-restraint?
Ans. Marlow is astonished because, despite their hunger, the cannibals do not attack the few white men aboard. He considers them morally superior to the whites.
Q.129. What words does Kurtz repeatedly utter, as Marlow recalls?
Ans. Marlow recalls Kurtz repeatedly uttering the words: “My Intended, my ivory, my station, my river, my—”
Q.130. How does Marlow assess Kurtz’s egotism and possessiveness?
Ans. Marlow believes that Kurtz belongs to the powers of darkness and will ultimately be claimed by them. He suggests that Kurtz’s egotism and possessiveness arise from dark desires that drive his cruel and destructive actions.
Q.131. What is Marlow's observation about Kurtz's complete transformation into a devil?
Ans. Marlow observes that Mr. Kurtz's prolonged stay among the brutes and his association with the wilderness and a life of sin, have transformed him into a devil.
Q.132. Who calls Mr. Kurtz a remarkable man and why?
Ans. Marlow learns from the Chief Accountant of the Belgian Trading Company that Mr. Kurtz is a “remarkable man” and a first-class agent of the company at the Inner Station. He is praised for his high potential because he is able to collect as much ivory for export as all the other agents of the company taken together.
Q.133. What type of man was Kurtz in his early life?
Ans. In his early life, Mr. Kurtz was a man of sound sense and an enlightened outlook on life. He was admired throughout Europe for his high talent and ability.
Q.134. What did Kurtz write in his pamphlet in his early life?
Ans. In his early life, Kurtz wrote a pamphlet in which he argued that a white man had a great responsibility toward the savages who recognized his superior abilities and gifts.
Q.135. What was Kurtz’s view of a white man before his coming to the Congo?
Ans. Before coming to the Congo, Kurtz regarded a white man as a kind of god among the savages. According to him, the white man could do much to improve their conditions of life.
Q.136. What did Kurtz mean by the expression “Exterminate all the brutes”?
Ans. The words “Exterminate all the brutes” were written by Kurtz in his pamphlet in his early life. Perhaps he meant that the brutal instincts of the savages should be destroyed so that they could be transformed into civilized human beings.
Q.137. What was Kurtz’s passion after his coming to the Congo?
Ans. After coming to the Congo, Kurtz’s passion was to collect ivory for the company. Next to ivory, his greatest concern was his love for the girl he proposed to marry.
Q.138. How do you know that Kurtz had become greedy while staying at the Inner Station?
Ans. A time came when Mr. Kurtz wanted to keep all the ivory for himself instead of allowing the company to take it away. His words—“My Intended, my ivory, my station, my river,” etc.—also prove his extreme greed.
Q.139. What sinful activities did Kurtz participate in during his stay at the Inner Station?
Ans. Kurtz not only participated in the customs and activities of the savages but also presided over their midnight dances, which always ended in “unspeakable rites.” He also took pleasure in human sacrifice, sexual orgies, perversions, and similar practices.
Q.140. Why does Kurtz utter the words “The horror! The horror!” on his deathbed?
Ans. On his deathbed, Marlow hears Kurtz whisper, “The horror! The horror!” This reveals Kurtz’s suffering and his sense of horror at what might happen to him after death.
Q.141. How is Marlow haunted by the memory of Kurtz?
Ans. While at the Intended’s house, Marlow sees a vision of Kurtz on a stretcher, carried by stretcher-bearers, with his mouth wide open as though he were about to swallow the whole earth and all its people.
Q.142. What does Kurtz represent in Heart of Darkness?
Ans. Mr. Kurtz represents the imperial exploitation of backward peoples by white invaders.
Q.143. Who governed the Congo in Conrad’s time?
Ans. In Conrad’s time, the Congo was governed by the Belgian King Leopold II.
Q.144. What evils of imperialism does Heart of Darkness portray?
Ans. Heart of Darkness portrays the evils and cruelty of Belgian imperial rule in the Congo, including deceit, robbery, murder, slave trading, and oppression of the natives.
Q.145. What is Conrad’s message in Heart of Darkness?
Ans. Through Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad suggests that Western man should beware of falling prey to the barbarism of the savages he seeks to conquer.
Q.146. What do you know about the Congo?
Ans. The Congo is an African country embracing most of the basin of the Congo River. It was established as the Belgian Congo under the sovereignty of King Leopold II of Belgium.
Q.147. How does Marlow look upon the Brickmaker?
Ans. Marlow regards the Brickmaker as a “papier-mâché Mephistopheles,” meaning an empty-headed devil.
Q.148. What is ivory?
Ans. Ivory is a white, bone-like substance forming the tusks of elephants, used for ornaments, piano keys, etc.
Q.149. What do you know about the helmsman?
Ans. The helmsman who steers Marlow’s steamer is a black athlete. He belongs to a coastal tribe and wears brass earrings and a blue cloth wrapper from the waist to the ankles.
Q.150. How does the helmsman die?
Ans. When the steamer is attacked by hostile savages, the helmsman opens the shutter. A spear pierces his body deeply, and he dies instantly.
Q.151. What do the cannibal crew symbolize?
Ans. The cannibal crew symbolize self-restraint and devotion to duty.
Q.152. What kind of man is the doctor at the Company’s headquarters?
Ans. The doctor at the Company’s headquarters in Brussels is a pseudo-scientist and an ambiguous man. After performing his official duty, he pursues his private interest in measuring heads.
Q.153. How does the doctor examine candidates for jobs in Africa?
Ans. Besides other tests, the doctor examines candidates by measuring their heads. He finds mental changes interesting for science, though he never sees the agents when they return.
Q.154. In what sense is the doctor’s theory of measuring heads meaningless?
Ans. Although the doctor is interested in mental changes, his theory is meaningless because the white men who go to the Congo never return, or at least he never sees them.
Q.155. What advice does the doctor give Marlow?
Ans. The doctor ironically advises Marlow to “avoid irritation more than exposure to the sun” and says that in the tropics one must, above all, keep calm.
Q.156. How do the cannibals contrast with the white men?
Ans. The cannibals are hard-working, efficient, calm, and self-restrained, whereas the white men are greedy, superficial, power-hungry, self-centred, and lacking in restraint.
Q.157. What does the majestic native woman symbolize?
Ans. The majestic native woman symbolizes steadfast loyalty and devotion to the man she loves.
Q.158. What does Kurtz’s fiancée (the Intended) stand for?
Ans. The Intended stands for blind faith and unshakable loyalty. She also symbolizes illusion in the human mind.
Q.159. What does “ivory” stand for?
Ans. Ivory stands for greed and imperialism.
Q.160. What does the useless firing by a warship signify?
Ans. It signifies the aimless and futile activities of the white men.
Q.161. What does the useless blasting of rocks symbolize?
Ans. It symbolizes meaningless activity under imperialistic rule.
Q.162. What does the sight of dying native labourers symbolize?
Ans. It symbolizes the white men’s cruelty and lack of sympathy.
Q.163. What does the sight of chained natives signify?
Ans. It signifies the white men’s lust for power and their inhuman attitude toward the backward people.
Q.164. What does the silence of the woods symbolize?
Ans. The silence of the woods symbolizes mystery and horror.
Q.165. What do the dark and dense forests symbolize?
Ans. They symbolize the darkness that exists in the human heart.
Q.166. In what symbolic sense does Marlow present Brussels?
Ans. Brussels symbolizes the inner corruption of white civilization. To Marlow, it appears as a “whited sepulchre”—outwardly clean but inwardly rotten.
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