Question: Give a pen-picture of the Brickmaker in Heart of Darkness.
Ans. The Brickmaker, like his fellow Company agents in Heart of Darkness, has no personal name—only a title. His title suggests that he is a builder, yet he has nothing to build because the necessary materials for making bricks are not available. At present, he functions as a spy for the Manager, informing him about the activities of other white agents at the station. He appears so cunning and crooked to Marlow that Marlow addresses him as a "Papier-mâché Mephistopheles"—a devil of emptiness.
The Brickmaker is very eager to talk to Marlow because he wants to know if Marlow holds significant influence with the upper authorities of the Company. He seeks Marlow’s friendship to gain promotion, believing that Marlow has close connections with the Company’s high officials. The Brickmaker also informs Marlow that Mr. Kurtz is a good painter and the Chief of the Company’s Inner Station. He regards Kurtz as a man of intelligence, sympathy, and single-mindedness. Furthermore, he claims that Kurtz has close connections with the highest officers, who would surely recommend him for promotion.
Thus, Marlow observes, the Brickmaker’s behavior, like his title, is vague and menacing. There is nothing tangible about the man, unlike Kurtz, whose presence and personality are unmistakable.
إرسال تعليق