Special Sub-Topic: Conrad: Secret Sharer and Heart of Darkness Click Here To Play: Conrad: Secret Sharer and Heart of Darkness

In what setting does the "Secret Sharer" take place?

On a ship. The novel takes place on a ship in an undisclosed location. We can only tell that the ship is sailing to someplace remote.

What is the name of the narrator in the "Secret Sharer"?

We do not know the name. We are never told the name of the narrator. The story is told from the first person and we only know the narrator by "I." The only character specifically named is Leggatt. The rest of the crew is named by peculiar body descriptions or by their position on the ship, e.g. second mate.

What is the name of the man who comes aboard the ship in "The Sectret Sharer" claiming to be a murderer?

Leggatt. "The Secret Sharer" is a psychological novel. Many critics believe Leggatt does not actually exist. This is an example of Jungian psychology.

In "The Secret Sharer", what is the name of the ship that the murder is fleeing from?

Sephora. The captain of the Sephora comes onto the narrator's ship in search of Leggatt.

The dominant figure in "Heart of Darkness" is the narrator. What is the narrator's name?

We do not know his name. Oddly enough, Marlow is not the narrator. It is his story being told, like in Coleridge's the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Yet it is an unidentified observer who provides the lens into Marlow's fantastic story.

Marlow is sent to rescue Kurtz from 'the heart of darkness', on the Congo River. In what country is the company for whom he is working based?

Belgium. However, Marlow is telling the story from a yacht sitting on the Thames river.

When Marlow reports to duty at the European headquarters in "Heart of Darkness", there are two women outside the office knitting. What color are they dressed in? It is the same color cloth that they are knitting.

black. These two women may represent the classic fates. They are producing the thread that is Marlow's life. Atropos, the third fate is missing. Atropos is the fate who cuts the thread of life. This is a sign that Marlow is not yet ready to die.

What is the occupation of Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness"?

Ivory hunter. Kurtz is a literary enigma. We know so little about him. He hunts for ivory but in odd ways. He has become a sort of god to the natives due to his use of thunder (guns). He is quite willing to kill.

Marlow believes Kurtz is wise. When he dies he has an epiphany and sums up the meaning of life. What were the wise words that Kurtz proclaims on his death bed in "Heart of Darkness"?

The horror, the horror. Kurtz's last words are "the horror, the horror." Whether it is from being ashamed, or from great wisdom, or from some sort of pain, these are his words. Marlow admires this. However, he tells Kurtz's girlfriend that it was her name that was pronounced as Kurtz's last words.

"Heart of Darkness" is based to some degree on Conrad's actual life.

true. They say it is best to write what you know about. Conrad did just this. He actually was a riverboat captain in Africa. Another interesting tidbit, English was not his first language. He was born in Russia.