The narrator describes Marlow as "ascetic." What does this word reveal about Marlow's character?

How about Marlow as an "idol"?

A "wanderer"?

What does the following passage about Marlow's narrative style reveal about him?

"The yarns of seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut. But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine."

What does the Roman soldier emblem reveal about Marlow?

How is Marlow's first visit to the Company's headquearters in Brussels an example of foreshadowing?

How does the Outer Station emblem parallel the Roman soldier emblem?

Like the Roman soldier who tried to bring light to the savages, the imperialists try to civilize the native inhabitants of the Congo region. Both the Roman soldier and the men who work for the Belgian company brutally tortured the natives. Although they came as outsiders, both the soldiers and the workers at the Outer Station became a part of the uncivilized culture they tried so hard to change; instead of bringing civilization, civilization was brought to them. When you travel to an unknown land with the purpose to conquer you, expect resistance. In both emblems, the "civilized" people were surrounded by the darkness and discovered that the darkness had not come from the savage people, but it had come from within themselves.  Also, the Outer Station emblem represents the idea of hard work for no gain.  The natives are working for nothing; working only to work.  There is also the symbols of lost civilization.  The dead Romans and the decaying machinery both show that the civilization is not working.  The undiscovered lands are conquering the civilized ideals.  Even though the Romans tried so hard to destroy the mountain they never succeeded because the land can never be conquered.

What ironies are present in both emblems?

Both the soldiers and the workers have worked to bring changes to these people, yet both fall victim to the exact things they are trying to prevent. Both the soldiers and workers are trying to civilize the Africans who they think are ignorant of how society should be structured and need to be enlightened. The irony is that at the same time the soldiers and workers are trying to civilize the Africans, they themselves are adopting (what they would call) savage practices. And even more ironic is that the savage resides inside them from the beginning, the environment brought it out. To fruther the irony, we see that the environment which the soldiers and Marlow see as presumably "un-natural" really is natural. The land which they are invading is existing in a pure state.  Marlow's situation is ironic as well because he begins to notice himself acting more "savage".  After the helmsman was stabbed and died at Marlow's feet, he proceeded to throw a perfectly good pair of shoes away -- something he normally wouldn't have done.  This shows how Marlow is slowly changing and he hasn't even realized it.

What does the "flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly" represent? Pay attention to the connotations of the adjectives as you interpret the metaphor.

We have not met Mr. Kurtz yet, but we have seen his artwork-- the oil painting of the blindfolded woman carrying a torch into the darkness. How can the painting be interpreted as a microcosm of Kurtz? Of Marlow? Of Europe?

What is ironic about the oil painting?

Marlow experiences a shocking moment of insight when he realizes that the natives in all their apparent savagery are as human as he is. Compare this epiphany to Simon's finding out that "the beast" is a man.