Monday, March 18, 2013
HoD Discussion
In Chapter 11, page 110 of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the pile of wood with the pencil-scratched note on it which Marlow finds is puzzling to me. The three statements, "'Wood for you. Hurry up. Approach cautiously.'" point to the fact that Marlow and his crew were expected, or could the wood be for someone else? Or had it just been put out for a random traveler? Mostly my question is who left the wood pile and deserted hut, if it wasn't Kurtz as the signature was longer? We know that the note to "'Approach cautiously'" was a helpful hint because of the scene on page 118, so whomever had left the note must be amiable.
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I don't think it was Kurtz who left the note. Someone was surely expected them and I think that's what makes the entire situation really spooky. It might be another traveller or a tradesmen. The person who left the note might have left it for anyone who came to the pile of wood.
ReplyDeleteI think the book later reveals that the wood pile is left by Kurtz's Russian companion who we meet in later readings.
ReplyDeleteSpoiler alert.
DeleteThere is nothing out of place in this narration so I don't think the note was for anyone else. They had been expecting Marlow and his crew for quiet sometime now. But perhaps it was not Kurtz who left the note personally.
ReplyDelete