Heart of Darkness: ThemeTracker

The LitCharts ThemeTracker is a mini-version of the entire LitChart. The ThemeTracker provides a quick timeline-style rundown of all the important plot points and allows you to track the themes throughout the work at a glance.

	1	On the Nellie in the Thames, the Narrator describes Marlow as he begins his story. Marlow observes that England was once “one of the dark places of the earth” and imagines the Romans in England. After years at sea, Marlow gets a steamship job in the Congo through his Aunt’s connections at the Company. Marlow visits the Company headquarters in the unnamed sepulchral city in Europe. At the headquarters, Marlow briefly meets the pale and plump head of the Company, and also meets a doctor who tells Marlow that in Africa “the changes happen inside” and asks Marlow if his family has a history of insanity. Marlow says goodbye to his Aunt. She sees him as an “emissary of light” off to educate the African natives. On the trip to the Company’s Outer Station, Marlow sees a French ship firing its guns into the dense forests of Africa. At the Outer Station, there is rusting machinery everywhere and people working to no purpose. Near Outer Station, Marlow comes upon the Grove of Death, where black laborers have gone to die. Marlow meets the Chief Accountant, who mentions Kurtz and Kurtz’s great prospects for advancement. Marlow makes the 15 day trek to the Central Station, where he learns that his steamship has accidentally sunk. The General Manager of the Central Station tells Marlow that Kurtz is sick. Marlow has a feeling that the General Manager wanted the steamship to sink so no one could reach Kurtz. Marlow starts repairing the steamship. The Brickmaker pumps Marlow for information about Kurtz. It is clear he hates Kurtz’s influence and morality.. Marlow tries to repair the ship more quickly in order to reach Kurtz as fat as possible, but he has no rivets. The Eldorado Exploring Expedition arrives at Central station. Marlow wonders about how Kurtz’s would act if he did become general manager.
	2	Marlow overhears the General Manager and the General Manager’s uncle discussing Kurtz. They dislike Kurtz’s influence in the company, his success in producing ivory, and his moral vision for improving the natives. They hope Kurtz’s sickness will kill him before they reach him. The Eldorado Expedition heads into the jungle. After three months of work, Marlow completes repairs of the steamship. Marlow, the General Manager, and some Pilgrims and natives steam upriver toward Kurtz. The jungle is filled with natives. The river is full of snags. Marlow feels a connection to the “terrible frankness” of the natives and is thankful that his work keeping the ship afloat occupies his attention most of the time, and hides the “inner truth.” Fifty miles from Inner Station, they find a hut with wood and a note to hurry up but also to approach cautiously. Marlow also finds a technical book on sailing that he describes as “unmistakably real.” Eight miles from the Inner Station, natives attack during a white fog that blocks all visibility. A mile from the Inner Station, the natives attack again. The Pilgrims shoot into the jungle, too high to hit anything. Marlow’s helmsman is killed by a spear. Marlow thinks Kurtz must be dead and is devastated. Then he tells the men on the Nellie that Kurtz wasn’t dead, but instead had presided over “unspeakable rites.” He describes Kurtz’s civilized and learned On the Suppression of Savage Customs, across which Kurtz had later scrawled “Exterminate all the brutes.” At Inner Station, which looks to be in perfect shape, Marlow meets the Russian trader, who is dressed like a harlequin.
	3	The Russian tells his story. Though the Russian doesn’t seem to see it, his story shows Marlow that Kurtz has become a monster. Marlow sees spiked human heads on the fence around Kurtz’s house. The Pilgrims carry the sick Kurtz to the steamship. The natives almost attack, but a word from Kurtz stops them. Kurtz and the General Manager argue. Kurtz accuses the General Manager of interfering with Kurtz’s grand plans.. The General Manager says that Kurtz has ruined the district for the Company. The Russian senses that the General Manager has it in for him, and slips away into the jungle. Before leaving, the Russian tells Marlow that Kurtz ordered the natives to attack the steamship in order to scare the General Manager away from coming to Inner Station. Kurtz sneaks off the ship. Marlow discovers his absence and finds Kurtz, just steps from the natives. Marlow convinces Kurtz not to rouse the natives to attack the ship. The ship departs, headed back to Central Station. Kurtz, near death, gives Marlow his papers for safekeeping. Kurtz dies. His last words are: “The horror! The horror!” Marlow falls ill, but survives. Marlow returns to the sepulchral city in Europe. The people in the city seem petty and silly to him. Marlow visits Kurtz’s Intended. He lies to her and tells her that Kurtz’s last words were her name. To tell her the truth would have been too dark. On the Nellie, Marlow falls silent. The Narrator describes the Thames as leading into “the heart of an immense darkness.”