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Heart of Darkness Good vs. Evil Quotes Page 12
Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
[The brickmaker]: "'He [Kurtz] is an emissary of pity and science and progress, and devil knows what else. We want,' he began to declaim suddenly, 'for the guidance of the cause intrusted to us by Europe, so to speak, higher intelligence, wide sympathies, a singleness of purpose.'" (1.59)
The brickmaker presents Kurtz to Marlow as a do-gooder, something of a missionary as well as a Company agent, who wants to bring all the ‘civilized’ European qualities like "pity and science and progress" to Africa. However, this information comes from an undoubtedly corrupt character, so its reliability is questionable.
[The brickmaker to Marlow]: "’You are of the new gang - the gang of virtue.’" (1.59)
This is a sarcastic remark. The brickmaker is obviously scornful but somewhat envious of this "new gang." However, as we will find out, the "virtue" of this gang is doubtful.
"I let him run on, this papier-mâché Mephistopheles [the brickmaker] […]." (1.61)
Marlow calls the brickmaker Mephistopheles, the devil figure in Goethe’s Faust, to whom the protagonist sells his soul. This furthers the devil imagery already associated with the brickmaker.
