How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #1
He applied himself to that pastime with great industry, with his elbows spread out and bowed low over the kitchen table. Through the open door of the parlour at the back of the shop Winnie, his sister, glanced at him from time to time with maternal vigilance. (1.15)
This is the first real taste you get of the devotion that Winnie has for her brother. The mention of the word "maternal" shows you that Winnie acts more like a mother to Stevie than a sister. Your sense of this devotion will only get stronger as the story unfolds, but at this early moment, you're just given a hint of it. Winnie watches Stevie as he draws his circles, a perfectly innocent activity that makes Stevie seem kind of childlike. Check out Conrad's wording, though, which doesn't say, "love," but "vigilance." Winnie's devotion to Stevie is not the same thing as compassion. It's protective, stubborn, and maybe a little competitive.
Quote #2
There had been a steady young fellow, only son of a butcher in the next street […] with whom Winnie had been walking out with obvious gusto […] [Then] that romance came to an abrupt end, and Winnie went about looking very dull. But Mr Verloc, turning up providentially to occupy the first-floor front bedroom, there had been no more question of the young butcher. (2.138)
Winnie's sacrifice seems to be a bit lost on her mother, who thinks that the end of Winnie's relationship with the butcher boy was something "providential" or god-sent. The woman turns a blind eye to the fact that Winnie has given up her true love for the sake of her family. Who knows? She probably knows the truth deep down, but feels guilty about it. With this decision, Winnie no longer lives for herself, but lives only for the safety of her brother. It's not really clear if the novel supports her decision, because her sacrifice only leads to death. Who knows? Maybe she would've had a chance at a good life if she'd married the young butcher boy, and maybe Stevie would've been able to survive. At the very least, they would've had first dibs on all the prime rib they wanted.
Quote #3
Mrs. Verloc, turning towards her recumbent husband, raised herself on her elbow, and hung over him in her anxiety that he should believe Stevie to be a useful member of the family. That ardour of protecting compassion exalted morbidly in her childhood by the misery of another child tinged her sallow cheeks with a faint dusky blush. (3.74)
Here, the narrator actually uses the word "compassion" to describe Winnie's bond with Stevie. It suggests that this bond was created in their childhood, when Winnie had to protect Stevie from their abusive jerk of a father. We see here that Winnie's bond with Stevie seems to come directly from their experience of abuse, and she's come to think of Stevie as an extension of herself. He represents total innocence and helplessness to her, and this is probably why she's able to sympathize directly with the pain he's felt, because she's felt it, too.
Quote #4
She had wept because she was heroic and unscrupulous and full of love for both her children […] Of course, Winnie was independent, and need not care for the opinion of people that she would never see and who would never see her; whereas poor Stevie had nothing in the world he could call his own except his mothers heroism and unscrupulousness. (8.44)
Stevie's mother figures that in order to make sure Stevie gets as much sympathy from Mr. Verloc as possible, shell go live on her own in an almshouse. She doesn't do this to guarantee Stevie's protection, but just to slightly increase his chances. Both Winnie's mother and Winnie completely define themselves through their ability to protect Stevie. The end of this passage also makes Winnies mother seem a little self-congratulatory, since she seems to consciously think of herself as heroic for protecting her son. Here, Conrad might be hinting that Winnie's mother kind of likes the idea of being a martyr, and there might be some self-interest in the way she looks out for Stevie.
Quote #5
She took the cold and reasonable view that the less strain put on Mr Verloc's kindness the longer its effects were likely to last […] And the heroic old woman resolved on going away from her children as an act of devotion and as a move of deep policy. (8.45)
Winnie's mom is no fool. She knows the score, and it ain't going in Stevie's favor. She's basically figured out something Winnie hasn't—that Verloc's only got so much sympathy in him, and it's going to run out quicker than the gas tank on your SUV. Winnie's mom probably has the best combination of love and strategy in this entire book. Winnie loves Stevie a lot, but she always chooses to keep her head in the sand when it comes to how much Verloc actually likes the kid. Her mom, on the other hand, knows that there's only so much you can expect from a world of selfish jerks.
Quote #6
She saw [Stevie] amiable, attractive, affectionate and only a little, a very little peculiar. And she could not see him otherwise, for he was connected with what there was of the salt of passion in her tasteless life—the passion of indignation, of courage, of pity, and even of self-sacrifice. (8.122)
Winnie likes to think of Stevie as being only a little bit peculiar, which shows us just how rose-colored her glasses are. Most of the other characters (like Verloc or Ossipon) see Stevie as really peculiar. In this quote, we also learn more about the reasons behind Winnie's connection to Stevie. He's really the only thing in Winnie's life that gives her passion, and here you can see a tiny glimpse of self-interest in Winnie's devotion. From a very young age, Winnie has made Stevie her top priority, and she doesn't really know how to live any other way. Without doubt, there's some love and affection here; but there's also more to it than that. Winnie Verloc won't be getting canonized as a saint anytime soon.
Quote #7
Before his extended arm could put down the hat Stevie pounced upon it, and bore it off reverently into the kitchen. And again Mr Verloc was surprised. "You could do anything with that boy, Adolf," Mrs Verloc said, with her best air of inflexible calmness. "He would go through fire for you." (9.10-9.11)
Bam, the theme of devotion pops up again; but this time we're seeing an example of Stevie's devotion to Adolf Verloc… wait. Hold up. This guy's name is Adolf. No wonder he's a baddie. Tragically, the reason Stevie thinks Mr. Verloc is so great is because Winnie and her mother have trained him for seven years to believe that Mr. Verloc is the moral center of the universe. They've done this because they want to basically guilt Verloc into taking care of Stevie, so they treat Verloc like a god of kindness. However, it's when Verloc realizes Stevie's devotion that he decides to use the boy for his own dastardly schemes. This is the tragic irony of the book, since the devotion that was supposed to protect Stevie is what ends up getting him killed.
Quote #8
"Might be father and son," she said to herself. She thought also that Mr Verloc was as much of a father as poor Stevie ever had in his life. She was aware also that it was her work. And with peaceful pride she congratulated herself on a certain resolution she had taken a few years before. It had cost her some effort, and even a few tears. (9.29)
Like her mother, Winnie is not above giving herself a pat on the back for protecting Stevie. What she doesn't realize, though, is that she's just sent Stevie to his death. The passage also mentions the sacrifice that Winnie made in her younger years when she decided to break up with her young lover so she could marry the much older Verloc. The mention of the father symbol is just about as warm a thought as Winnie has throughout this book, because she dreams of Stevie finding a place in Verloc's heart. Winnie has completely given herself to Stevie, and the only way she's ever going to feel happiness is if he does. But then again, living through somebody else never tends to work out. It's actually Winnie's devotion to Stevie that makes her lose her mind after he's dead, because she has no clue who she is without him. It's like Garfunkel without Simon, or Ringo without the rest of the Beatles.
Quote #9
She remembered brushing the boy's hair and tying his pinafores—herself in a pinafore still; the consolations administered to a small and badly scared creature by another creature nearly as small but not quite so badly scared. (11.51)
News of Stevie's death creates a huge flashback for Winnie, where she remembers the entire life she's spent caring for him. The whole thing has come to an end now, and Winnie's devotion no longer has anything to hold onto. The fact that Stevie's been completely blown to bits even robs her of a body to mourn over, and this fact is actually part of what inspires her to make a Verloc-kebab with her carving knife. The thought that her brother's been scooped up like kitty litter destroys her. This passage in particular also reminds us just how young Winnie was when she started caring for Stevie. The closest she's ever come to having her own life is her romance with the butcher's boy. Again, Conrad suggests that there's something very admirable about Winnie's self-sacrifice, but he's also quick to point out that this isn't necessarily the best way to live your life. When it comes to a bad world full of dirtbags, self-sacrifice ain't going to guarantee you anything.
Quote #10
The protection she had extended over her brother had been in its origin of a fierce and indignant complexion. She had to love him with a militant love. She had battled for him—even against herself. His loss had the bitterness of defeat, with the anguish of a baffled passion. (11.65)
Here, you really get a good sense of Winnie's devotion to Stevie, and how there's a lot more to it than Stevie's brand of simple compassion. Winnie's given her whole life to Stevie and has based who she is on her ability to protect the boy. That's why, when Stevie dies, she basically dies with him. This isn't just because she loves him, but because she's based her entire life on him in a way that Conrad might not actually find healthy. Winnie is a symbol of self-sacrifice, definitely. But Conrad is a little suspicious of the long-term health benefits of self-sacrifice. Turns out that madness and despair ain't great for longevity.