1. What is the significance of the doctor who measures Marlows skull?

Consider its significance both at that point in the novel and its significance in the context of the whole novel. Though the secretary assures him it is a simple formality (11), Marlows visit to the doctor is clear foreshadowing that his venture into the Congo will change him forever !efore Marlow even meets the old doctor, a young cler" ver#ally glorifies the Companys ventures #ut vehemently refuses to parta"e in them, presenting the Congo as an enigmatic, distur#ing dar"ness The doctors actions support this portrayal$ his measurement of Marlows s"ull and the conversation afterward imply that %ourneying out there (1&) dehumani'es one #eyond repair This foreshadowing is fulfilled when near the end of the novella when the (ussian trader e)claims, *h, +,urt'- enlarged my mind. (/0) The doctors am#iguous words generally carry dou#le meanings, not unli"e the layered phrase, heart of dar"ness 1hen he comments that the changes ta"e place inside (1&), he could #e referring either to the human mind or to the dar" %ungle of the Congo$ throughout the novella, horror and corruption are present in #oth The doctor closes the interaction with a piece of advice2 3n the tropics one must #efore everything "eep calm (1&) This is further warning of the distur#ing scenes and themes to #e found in the Congo$ the doctor fully e)pects Marlow to lose his mind The doctors e)amination of Marlows s"ull also serves as a metaphorical representation of the 4uropean coloni'ation efforts The old man is a self5proclaimed #eneficiary of the system$ though he leaves the tangi#le wealth to the Company and the li"e, he gets what he wants, answers in the interests of science (1&) 6is demeanor toward Marlow is also similar to the colonists attitude toward the natives2

condescending, dismissive, selfish, and lac"ing true concern 7ust as the 4uropean colonists see" material gain with a humanitarian fa8ade, the doctor performs his wor" #ut prioriti'es his personal agenda 6is presentation as a thoughtless fool (1&) also applies to those who praise the coloni'ation effort and fail to note the discrepancies #etween their perceptions and reality

2. n !art 2" Marlow first mentions the heart of darkness# what three things might he be referring to? $xplain. The physical heart of dar"ness refers to the depths of the Congo %ungle 9t the start of Marlows tale, he loo"s at a faraway monstrous town (:) and says, This also has #een one of the dar" places of the earth (:) ;ar"ness is a motif in the novella, with Marlow repeatedly using words such as grim and #rooding This style of diction is intensified the closer he gets to ,urt' and as he penetrates deeper and deeper into the heart of dar"ness (<0)$ the cover of the trees provides physical dar"ness, #ut the %ungle is full of danger and mystery too The fog that slows Marlows steamer #efore he even reaches his destination sym#oli'es distortion and confusion, and he continues to comment e)tensively a#out the dar"ness of his surroundings 9ll in all, dar"ness is a sym#ol for unpredicta#ility and a lac" of true control The heart of dar"ness may also refer to the =uestiona#le ethics and hidden realities of 4uropean coloni'ation as a whole, as well as its focus on economic profit The interests of colonists and natives rarely overlap, and these clashes often result in gross violations of #asic human rights >rom the #eginning, the #usinessli"e air of the Company is evident$ it practices #rute force in the name of coloni'ation and pays little attention to the welfare of the natives 4ven individual employees of the Company demonstrate greed and a lac" of concern for anything #ut their reward The chief accountant, for one, personifies the Companys cold and measured display of superiority #y #eing the only one to maintain his personal appearance and #y only selectively associating with others (he ignores suffering natives and never mentions ,urt's deterioration) The #ric"5layer, man who is croo"ed in more than one way, is a shameless suc"5up, attempting to manipulate Marlow and only metaphorically laying

#ric"s #y gathering information which he then delivers to the manager to #etter his own status Marlow notices easily that the Company is full of people who should not #e readily trusted 3n the novella, human nature and morality are also enshrouded in dar"ness 3t was never the colonists priority to a#use the natives, and they had humanitarian intentions for participating in the con=uest ? or rather, some did, while the others operated under a fa8ade, ta"ing advantage of a %ustification for their actions 6owever, any good they planned to do soon melted away, and many characters represent either naivety or corruption #y the dar"ness Marlows aunt, enthusiastic #ut gulli#le, encourages coloni'ation on a humanitarian #asis, wishing Marlow to help rid the natives of their uncivili'ed ways ,urt' #egins with similar intentions, #ut greed and am#ition get the #etter of him and he turns into perhaps the greatest monstrosity of all, #oth mentally and physically losing his sight !efore Marlow even meets ,urt', he "nows him as a legend$ if such a man cannot remain sane and moral in the Congo, who can@