As you read Heart of
Darkness:
 Keep track of where Marlow
travels. Do this by noting the
page number any place he
mentions moving from one
specific point to another.
Then discuss at least two
specific important details
concerning the place he goes
and how long it takes to get
there.
 Find and discuss briefly four
references to work or keeping
busy in Heart of Darkness,
and then provide a statement
that explains Marlow’s
position on the value of work.
Find three examples we
haven’t discussed in class of
the futility (uselessness,
incongruity) of the European
presence in the Congo and
discuss what Conrad seems
to be suggesting in each
instance. The Company’s
Chief Accountant with the
high starched collars is one
example of this futility.
 Select a passage (1-2
paragraphs) from the novel
that exemplifies Conrad’s
impressionistic style. Provide
a short analysis (2-3
paragraphs) of the passage,
focusing on those details that
most clearly reveal aspects
of impressionistic writing.
Compare and contrast the
native woman who is
apparently Kurtz’s lover with
Kurtz’s “intended” back in
Europe. What general
attitudes about women are
being expressed, and how do
those attitudes fit into the
novel as a whole?
Pick three of the following
motifs (recurring images
and/or ideas) and find at
least five references to each.
List the page reference and
then discuss how the motif
operates within the context
of the novel as a whole.
Choose from the following
motifs: savages, grass, rivets,
jungle, river, huts, disease,
progress, madness,
civilization, light, efficiency,
death images
(bones/skulls/heads on
stakes).
Cite and discuss in some
detail three instances when a
character’s assumptions
played a critical role in how
that character acted or
perceived someone else’s
actions.
Novel as a whole:
 Respond to Kurtz’s final
utterance. What is “the
horror” to which he refers?
 Discuss why Conrad would
use the frame story structure
for this novel.
As you read Heart of
Darkness:
 Keep track of where Marlow
travels. Do this by noting the
page number any place he
mentions moving from one
specific point to another.
Then discuss at least two
specific important details
concerning the place he goes
and how long it takes to get
there.
 Find and discuss briefly four
references to work or keeping
busy in Heart of Darkness,
and then provide a statement
that explains Marlow’s
position on the value of work.
Find three examples we
haven’t discussed in class of
the futility (uselessness,
incongruity) of the European
presence in the Congo and
discuss what Conrad seems
to be suggesting in each
instance. The Company’s
Chief Accountant with the
high starched collars is one
example of this futility.
 Select a passage (1-2
paragraphs) from the novel
that exemplifies Conrad’s
impressionistic style. Provide
a short analysis (2-3
paragraphs) of the passage,
focusing on those details that
most clearly reveal aspects
of impressionistic writing.
Compare and contrast the
native woman who is
apparently Kurtz’s lover with
Kurtz’s “intended” back in
Europe. What general
attitudes about women are
being expressed, and how do
those attitudes fit into the
novel as a whole?
Pick three of the following
motifs (recurring images
and/or ideas) and find at
least five references to each.
List the page reference and
then discuss how the motif
operates within the context
of the novel as a whole.
Choose from the following
motifs: savages, grass, rivets,
jungle, river, huts, disease,
progress, madness,
civilization, light, efficiency,
death images
(bones/skulls/heads on
stakes).
Cite and discuss in some
detail three instances when a
character’s assumptions
played a critical role in how
that character acted or
perceived someone else’s
actions.
Novel as a whole:
 Respond to Kurtz’s final
utterance. What is “the
horror” to which he refers?
 Discuss why Conrad would
use the frame story structure
for this novel.
As you read Heart of
Darkness:
 Keep track of where Marlow
travels. Do this by noting the
page number any place he
mentions moving from one
specific point to another.
Then discuss at least two
specific important details
concerning the place he goes
and how long it takes to get
there.
 Find and discuss briefly four
references to work or keeping
busy in Heart of Darkness,
and then provide a statement
that explains Marlow’s
position on the value of work.
Find three examples we
haven’t discussed in class of
the futility (uselessness,
incongruity) of the European
presence in the Congo and
discuss what Conrad seems
to be suggesting in each
instance. The Company’s
Chief Accountant with the
high starched collars is one
example of this futility.
 Select a passage (1-2
paragraphs) from the novel
that exemplifies Conrad’s
impressionistic style. Provide
a short analysis (2-3
paragraphs) of the passage,
focusing on those details that
most clearly reveal aspects
of impressionistic writing.
Compare and contrast the
native woman who is
apparently Kurtz’s lover with
Kurtz’s “intended” back in
Europe. What general
attitudes about women are
being expressed, and how do
those attitudes fit into the
novel as a whole?
Pick three of the following
motifs (recurring images
and/or ideas) and find at
least five references to each.
List the page reference and
then discuss how the motif
operates within the context
of the novel as a whole.
Choose from the following
motifs: savages, grass, rivets,
jungle, river, huts, disease,
progress, madness,
civilization, light, efficiency,
death images
(bones/skulls/heads on
stakes).
Cite and discuss in some
detail three instances when a
character’s assumptions
played a critical role in how
that character acted or
perceived someone else’s
actions.
Novel as a whole:
 Respond to Kurtz’s final
utterance. What is “the
horror” to which he refers?
 Discuss why Conrad would
use the frame story structure
for this novel.
Strong Readers…
automatically look for reflect back over the
connections between the entire story after they
story and their own lives. have read.
“see” what they read. are confident that they
could explain to
ask themselves someone else what they
questions about what have read.
they are reading.
don’t give up when they
go back and reread when read something they
they don’t understand. don’t understand – they
keep on reading!
stop to look a word up in
the dictionary when they
come across one they Strong Readers…
don’t know.
automatically look for
look for characters with connections between the
whom they can relate. story and their own lives.
try to figure out what an “see” what they read.
unfamiliar word means
based on contextual ask themselves
clues. questions about what
they are reading.
pay particular attention
to the punctuation. go back and reread when
they don’t understand.
try to connect what they
already know to what stop to look a word up in
they are reading. the dictionary when they
come across one they
think about what that don’t know.
particular story is
suggesting about the look for characters with
human condition. whom they can relate.
consciously appreciate try to figure out what an
specific words, unfamiliar word means
sentences, and literary based on contextual
devices when they read. clues.
form opinions about pay particular attention
characters as they read. to the punctuation.
wonder why some try to connect what they
characters do or say already know to what
certain things. they are reading.
look for reasons why think about what that
characters do or say particular story is
certain things. suggesting about the
human condition.
notice how characters
are changing throughout consciously appreciate
the story. specific words,
sentences, and literary
wonder why the author devices when they read.
may have included
certain details or used form opinions about
certain words. characters as they read.
notice differences wonder why some
between characters’ characters do or say
points of view. certain things.
look for reasons why suggesting about the
characters do or say human condition.
certain things.
consciously appreciate
notice how characters specific words,
are changing throughout sentences, and literary
the story. devices when they read.

wonder why the author form opinions about

may have included characters as they read.
certain details or used
certain words. wonder why some
characters do or say
notice differences certain things.
between characters’
points of view. look for reasons why
characters do or say
reflect back over the certain things.
entire story after they
have read. notice how characters
are changing throughout
are confident that they the story.
could explain to
someone else what they wonder why the author
have read. may have included
certain details or used
don’t give up when they certain words.
read something they
don’t understand – they notice differences
keep on reading! between characters’
points of view.

Strong Readers… reflect back over the

entire story after they
automatically look for have read.
connections between the
story and their own lives. are confident that they
could explain to
“see” what they read. someone else what they
have read.
ask themselves
questions about what don’t give up when they
they are reading. read something they
don’t understand – they
go back and reread when keep on reading!
they don’t understand.

stop to look a word up in

the dictionary when they
come across one they
don’t know.

look for characters with

whom they can relate.

try to figure out what an

unfamiliar word means
based on contextual
clues.

pay particular attention

to the punctuation.

try to connect what they

already know to what
they are reading.

think about what that

particular story is