Teaching Heart of Darkness
by Joseph Conrad (1899)
Why Teach Heart of Darkness?
Heart of Darkness follows Charlie Marlow, a steamboat captain who travels deep into the African Congo to find Kurtz, a rogue ivory trader who has become legendary for his success and mysterious methods. What begins as a business mission becomes a psychological journey into the heart of human nature, power, and moral corruption. This isn't just a colonial adventure story—it's a profound exploration of what happens when people operate without accountability, when power corrupts absolutely, and when we confront the darkness within ourselves. Through Intelligence Amplifier™ analysis, you'll learn to recognize the warning signs of moral decay in yourself and others, understand how environments shape ethical behavior, and see how unchecked ambition destroys both the powerful and those around them. Conrad's masterpiece shows us that the real darkness isn't 'out there'—it's in the human heart when separated from community, accountability, and moral constraints.
This 3-chapter work explores themes of Personal Growth—topics that remain deeply relevant to students' lives today. Our Intelligence Amplifier™ analysis helps students connect these classic themes to modern situations they actually experience.
Major Themes to Explore
Power
Explored in chapters: 1, 2, 3
Isolation
Explored in chapters: 1, 2, 3
Class
Explored in chapters: 1, 2
Identity
Explored in chapters: 1, 2
Deception
Explored in chapters: 1
Loyalty
Explored in chapters: 2
Truth vs. Compassion
Explored in chapters: 3
Moral Boundaries
Explored in chapters: 3
Skills Students Will Develop
Detecting Institutional Doublespeak
This chapter teaches how to recognize when organizations use moral language to hide harmful practices.
See in Chapter 1 →Reading Power Dynamics
This chapter teaches how to recognize when people are positioning themselves against each other for advancement or survival.
See in Chapter 2 →Reading Power Dynamics
This chapter teaches how to identify when someone in authority has moved from legitimate leadership to abusive control through fear and isolation.
See in Chapter 3 →Discussion Questions (15)
1. What specific examples of suffering does Marlow witness at the coastal station, and how do the company officials respond to this suffering?
2. Why does the accountant maintain his pristine appearance while workers are dying around him? What does this tell us about how people protect themselves from uncomfortable truths?
3. Where have you seen people or organizations use noble language like 'helping' or 'improving lives' while their actions cause harm? What were the real motivations?
4. When someone at work or in your community starts talking about a grand mission to help people, what warning signs would you look for to spot potential exploitation?
5. What does this chapter suggest about how good people can participate in harmful systems? How do we protect ourselves from becoming the accountant?
6. The manager and his nephew hope the wilderness will eliminate Kurtz for them. What does this tell us about how they handle competition?
7. The cannibals on Marlow's crew are starving but show restraint. The Russian trader abandons civilization to follow Kurtz. What drives people to make choices that seem to go against their own interests?
8. Where do you see people today caught between competing loyalties - like choosing between job security and doing what's right, or supporting family expectations versus personal dreams?
9. If you were in Marlow's position, witnessing the manager's scheming while depending on him for your mission, how would you handle the competing pressures?
10. This chapter shows people making radically different choices under pressure. What does this reveal about how extreme situations expose who we really are underneath our everyday roles?
11. What specific evidence shows that Kurtz has completely abandoned civilized behavior, and how does the Russian trader justify staying loyal to him?
12. Why does Marlow lie to Kurtz's fiancée about his final words instead of telling her the truth about what Kurtz became?
13. Where have you seen someone start with good intentions but gradually become more controlling or harsh when given unchecked authority?
14. If you were in Marlow's position, how would you decide when to tell a difficult truth versus protecting someone with a merciful lie?
15. What does Kurtz's transformation reveal about what happens to our moral compass when we're isolated from people who can challenge our decisions?
Suggested Teaching Approach
1Before Class
Assign students to read the chapter AND our IA analysis. They arrive with the framework already understood, not confused about what happened.
2Discussion Starter
Instead of "What happened in this chapter?" ask "Where do you see this pattern in your own life?" Students connect text to lived experience.
3Modern Connections
Use our "Modern Adaptation" sections to show how classic patterns appear in today's workplace, relationships, and social dynamics.
4Assessment Ideas
Personal application essays, current events analysis, peer teaching. Assess application, not recall—AI can't help with lived experience.
Chapter-by-Chapter Resources
Ready to Transform Your Classroom?
Start with one chapter. See how students respond when they arrive with the framework instead of confusion. Then expand to more chapters as you see results.