Heart of darkness; savagery; truth/reality

Select a passage from Heart of Darkness that addresses one of the three motifs (heart of darkness; savagery; truth/reality) listed on the unit 1 study guide. The passage can be a single sentence, a whole paragraph, or part of a paragraph (i.e., several sentences). Then: 1. Situate that passage in the context of the plot (describe how the passage fits into the sequence of events narrated in the novel). 2. Discuss the meaning of the passage from Conrad's perspective (i.e., what you think he was trying to say). 3. Analyze the passage in light of what we know about the context for Conrad's novella: a. cite a source(s) on relevant circumstances and relate that reading to your selected passage b. cite a source(s) on relevant ideas and relate that reading to your selected passage 4. Use your analysis of the passage to contribute to one of the interpretations or controversies encountered in the readings for week 3 (Achebe, Hawkins, Hawthorn, or Said).    

Sample Solution