Anchor text and text set analysis for Heart of Darkness.

2. Anchor Text - Heart of Darkness
Statement of Inquiry: In what ways does
imperialism affect how society is structured or
how people are treated? How has imperialism
changed over time?

3. “Heart of Darkness follows one man's nightmarish journey into the interior of Africa... It all takes
place in the past, because what we have here is a frame story. Aboard a British ship called the
Nellie, three men listen to a dude named Marlow recount his journey into Africa as an agent for the
Company, a Belgian ivory trading firm...
Along the way, he witnesses brutality and hate between colonizers and the native African people,
becomes entangled in a power struggle within the Company, and finally learns the truth about the
mysterious Kurtz, a mad agent who has become both a god and a prisoner of the ‘native Africans.’
After ‘rescuing’ Kurtz from the native African people, Marlow watches in horror as Kurtz succumbs
to madness, disease, and finally death. In the end, Marlow decides to support Kurtz rather than his
company, which is possibly morally dubious and definitely a bad career move. The novel closes with
Marlow's guilt-ridden visit to Kurtz's fiancée to return the man's personal letters, and, on that
ambiguous note, we end.”
-(Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008)

4. Heart of Darkness - Quantitative Measures
The shorter length of the text
allows our class to explore the
various levels of meaning
throughout more of the text
(between 7-8 key excerpts),
rather than focusing on 2-3
key excerpts in the novella.
53,285 words or
approximately
77-120 pages*
*depending on the published version.

5. Heart of Darkness - Standards:
TEKS 2(C): relate the characters, setting, and theme of a literary work to the historical, social, and economic
ideas of its time.
TEKS 5(A) analyze how complex plot structures (e.g., subplots) and devices (e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks,
suspense) function and advance the action in a work of fiction
TEKS 5(B): analyze the moral dilemmas and quandaries presented in works of fiction as revealed by the
underlying motivations and behaviors of the character.
TEKS 5(D): demonstrate familiarity with works of fiction by British authors from each major literary period
TEKS 7(A): analyze how the author’s patterns of imagery, literary allusions, and conceits reveal theme, set
tone, and create meaning in metaphors, passages, and literary works.
TEKS Fig.19(B): Students is expected make complex inferences (e.g., inductive and deductive) about text and
use textual evidence to support understanding.

6. Heart of Darkness - Text Dependent Questions
Can you justify Kurtz’s actions? Why or why not?
What is the “darkness” to which Conrad refers?
How does Marlow’s glimpse into his first interactions with Kurtz
foreshadow his demise and the cause of his demise?
How does Joseph Conrad’s depiction of the Congo reflect (or not reflect)
European attitudes toward imperialism?

7. Heart of Darkness - Complementary Texts
“The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters” - Unknown American artist / “White Man’s
Burden” The Journal, Detroit
“Boss” - Noemia de Sousa / “White Man’s Burden” - Rudyard Kipling
Apocalypse Now - dir. Francis Ford Coppola
“An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” - Chinua Achebe

8. Complementary Texts - Standards
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast works of literature that express a universal theme;
TEKS 2(C): relate the characters, setting, and theme of a literary work to the historical, social, and economic
ideas of its time.
TEKS 3(A): Evaluate the changes in sound, form, figurative language, graphics, and dramatic structure in
poetry across literary time periods.
TEKS 8(A): Analyze the consistency and clarity of the expression of the controlling idea and the ways in
which the organizational and rhetorical patterns of text support or confound the author’s meaning or purpose.
TEKS 12(A): evaluate how messages presented in media reflect social and cultural views in ways different
from traditional texts;
TEKS 12(C): evaluate how one issue or event is represented across various media to understand the notions
of bias, audience, and purpose;

9. Heart of Darkness - Rationale
Quantitatively accessible (short, 9-10 grade band,
1050 L Lexile) for 12th graders at all levels
Driving questions and text connect to materials
and concepts (i.e. imperialism) across time and
disciplines
Multiple levels of
meaning for
scholars to
engage with the
text and driving
questions
Many of our scholars, especially those who are
students of color and/or immigrants have been
subject to racism and imperialism

10. “The Devilfish in
Egyptian Waters,”
- Unknown American Artist,
1882
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast works of
literature that express a universal theme;
TEKS 12(A): evaluate how messages
presented in media reflect social and cultural
views in ways different from traditional texts;
TEKS 12(C): evaluate how one issue or event
is represented across various media to
understand the notions of bias, audience, and
purpose; Unknown American artist. “The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters.”
The Granger Collection, NYC., 1882.

11. “The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters” - Rationale
Scholars are exposed to a United States-based artist’s
perception of the breadth of British imperialism in 1882,
7 years before Conrad published Heart of Darkness.
Using an image, rather than text, allows for increased
accessibility for students with disabilities or students who are
ELLs to engage with and understand concepts relating to
imperialism prior to the anchor text.
Using a political cartoon provides explicit opportunities to
grapple with the role of journalism, the impact of bias, and the
contribution of visual details to meaning prior to the text, where
these issues are more subtle.
Scholars are able to
evaluate how “The
Devilfish in Egyptian
Waters” reflects the
United States’
sentiments toward the
British imperialism in the
late 19th century by
comparing the cartoon
to “The White Man’s
Burden” cartoon.

12. “The White Man’s
Burden”
- The Journal, Detroit
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast
works of literature that express a
universal theme;
TEKS 12(A): evaluate how messages
presented in media reflect social and
cultural views in ways different from
traditional texts;
TEKS 12(C): evaluate how one issue
or event is represented across various
media to understand the notions of
bias, audience, and purpose;
May, T. (1899, February 18). The White Man's Burden [Cartoon].
The Detroit Journal.

13. “The White Man’s Burden” Cartoon - Rationale
Scholars are exposed to the notion of the White Man’s
Burden in pictorial form prior to reading Heart of Darkness
and grappling with questions of Conrad’s relationship to the
“White Man’s Burden.”
Using an image, rather than text, allows for increased
accessibility for students with disabilities or students who
are ELLs to engage with and understand concepts relating to
the “White Man’s Burden” prior to the anchor text.
Using a political cartoon provides explicit opportunities to
grapple with the role of journalism, the impact of bias, and
the contribution of visual details to meaning prior to the text,
where these issues are more subtle.
Scholars are able to
evaluate how “The
Devilfish in Egyptian
Waters” reflects the
United States’
sentiments toward the
British imperialism in the
late 19th century by
comparing the cartoon
to “The White Man’s
Burden” cartoon.

14. “Boss”
- Noemia de Sousa,
1949
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast
works of literature that express a
universal theme;
TEKS 2(C): relate the characters,
setting, and theme of a literary work
to the historical, social, and economic
ideas of its time.
TEKS 3(A): Evaluate the changes in
sound, form, figurative language,
graphics, and dramatic structure in
poetry across literary time periods.
“Boss, boss, oh my boss!
Why d’you always beat me up,
with no pity at all,
with your hard and hostile eyes,
with your words that are as cutting as arrows,
with that look of sharp disdain,
and sometimes
with a humiliating clout from your own hand,
even though everything I do
is by nature submissive?
Oh, why boss? Tell me just this:
what harm did I do you?
(Was it because I was born with this skin colour?)”
Mitra, L. R. (n.d.). "Six Poems" - Noémia de Sousa[Scholarly project]. In Academia.edu. Retrieved
January 2017, 12, from http://www.academia.edu/6853126/No%C3%A9mia_de_Sousa_Six_Poems

15. “Boss” - Rationale
Scholars read another text written in the first person, but
from the perspective of a native African person, someone
whose perspective is not represented in Heart of Darkness.
Scholars compare and contrast elements of the treatment of the
native Mozambicans in “Boss” with the treatment of the native
Congolese in Heart of Darkness, as well as the literary devices that
convey these treatments.
Scholars will compare and contrast the perspectives in
“Boss” and “White Man’s Burden” to understand the calls
to action presented in both poetic works.
Scholars will be able “to
relate the characters,
setting, and theme of a
literary work to the
historical, social, and
economic ideas of its time”
and across time by
evaluating the poetic
devices used to portray the
treatment of native Africans
in “Boss” and Heart of
Darkness.

16. “White Man’s
Burden”
- Rudyard Kipling
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast works of
literature that express a universal theme;
TEKS 2(C): relate the characters, setting,
and theme of a literary work to the
historical, social, and economic ideas of its
time.
TEKS 3(A): Evaluate the changes in sound,
form, figurative language, graphics, and
dramatic structure in poetry across literary
time periods.
Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.
Take up the White Man's burden--
In patience to abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times made plain
To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.
Kipling, R. White Man’s Burden. Retrieved January 2017, 12, from
https://public.wsu.edu/~brians/world_civ/worldcivreader/world_civ_reader_2/kipling.html

17. Kipling’s “White Man’s Burden” - Rationale
Scholars read another text written in the first person from the
perspective of a European person, in a way that represents a
primary, nonfiction source.
Scholars compare and contrast elements of the call to action in
“Boss” with the treatment of the native Congolese in Heart of
Darkness, as well as the literary devices that convey these
treatments.
Scholars will compare and contrast the perspectives in
“Boss” and “White Man’s Burden” to understand the calls
to action presented in both poetic works.
Scholars will be able “to
relate the characters,
setting, and theme of a
literary work to the
historical, social, and
economic ideas of its time”
and across time by
evaluating the poetic
devices used to portray the
perspective of Europeans in
“White Man’s Burden” and
Heart of Darkness.

18. Apocalypse
Now
- dir. Francis Ford Coppola
TEKS 2(A): compare and contrast works of
literature that express a universal theme;
TEKS 2(C): relate the characters, setting,
and theme of a literary work to the
historical, social, and economic ideas of its
time.
TEKS 12(A): evaluate how messages
presented in media reflect social and
cultural views in ways different from
traditional texts;
TEKS 12(C): evaluate how one issue or
event is represented across various media
to understand the notions of bias, audience,
and purpose;
Apocalypse Now. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Martin Sheen and
Marlon Brando. Omni Zoetrope, 1979. DVD.

19. Apocalypse Now - Rationale
Scholars will gain exposure to similar motifs, themes,
and character dilemmas that are exhibited in Heart of
Darkness as they manifest in the 20th century.
Scholars will be able to evaluate the film for discrepancies
that may reveal differences in Conrad and Coppola’s
perspectives on imperialism.
Scholars will analyze how the setting of the Vietnam War
produces differences in theme and audience interpretations
of the impact of imperialism on the Vietnamese.
Scholars will analyze
differences presentations
of imperialism based on
historical, author/director,
and cultural context by
comparing Apocalypse
Now, Heart of Darkness,
and their respective
themes.

20. “An Image of Africa:
Racism in Conrad’s Heart
of Darkness”
- Chinua Achebe
TEKS 8(A): Analyze the consistency
and clarity of the expression of the
controlling idea and the ways in
which the organizational and
rhetorical patterns of text support or
confound the author’s meaning or
purpose.
“Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as ‘the
other world,’ the antithesis of Europe and therefore of
civilization, a place where man's vaunted intelligence
and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant
beastiality. The book opens on the River Thames,
tranquil, resting, peacefully ‘at the decline of day after
ages of good service done to the race that peopled its
banks.’ But the actual story will take place on the River
Congo, the very antithesis of the Thames. The River
Congo is quite decidedly not a River Emeritus. It has
rendered no service and enjoys no old-age pension. We
are told that ‘Going up that river was like traveling back
to the earliest beginnings of the world.’”
Achebe, C. (2016). An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of
Darkness. The Massachusetts Review,57(1), 14-27.
doi:10.1353/mar.2016.0003

21. “An Image of Africa” - Rationale
Achebe’s argument provides the scholars with a model for
articulating their opinions (or the opposite of their opinions)
on Conrad’s racist depictions of the Congolese.
Scholars would be exposed and would evaluate a modern criticism
and understanding of Conrad’s perception of imperialism at the
time of the Belgian occupation of the Congo.
This informational article, both in its conventions and ideas,
presents students with a university/college-level text pushing
the 12th grade students toward college-readiness.
Scholars will be able to
evaluate their opinions
on Conrad’s Heart of
Darkness in conversation
with Achebe’s argument
by comparing his various
claims to their own using
text evidence from the
anchor text.

22. Text Set Rationale
Heart of Darkness has a lower lexile and various levels of meaning with which students
can engage. For my students in particular (who have had gaps in their English Language and
Reading education due to inconsistency in teachers), the multiplicity of theme allows the
students in both our AP English Literature and the on-level English IV.
To prime students for the conversations on imperialism, the class will analyze the
cartoons, “The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters” and the “White Man’s Burden.” As it would be
analyzed in tandem with Chinua Achebe’s “An Image of Africa: Conrad’s Racism in Heart of
Darkness” and poems such as “White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling and “Boss” by
Noemia de Sousa, Heart of Darkness will permit scholars to anchor their learning about
imperialism, racism, and the mistreatment of native Congolese in various scenes throughout
the text.

23. Text Set Rationale (cont.)
When Achebe’s article is read after Heart of Darkness, scholars are able to have
language for the racism that Conrad writes into the story, while “White Man’s Burden” and
“Boss” provide students more accessible language and formatting (poems with relatively
simple structure) to understand the various perspectives of the European and Congolese
(African people broadly), respectively.
Although the language - specifically conventions and sentence structure - presents
challenges to students, the majority of our scholars have been subject to racism in their daily
lives, and many of them have born witness to imperialism while living in their home countries
or living in the United States as the nation takes part in imperialism abroad. Much of the
class is passionate about social and racial justice, which provides them with entry points to
the varied levels of meaning and theme, regardless of their analytical abilities. The
supplementary texts provide scholars with various entry points to the anchor texts and ways
to develop criticisms or defense of the text.

24. Text Set Rationale (cont.)
As our scholars engage with either the IB program or prepare to become globally
minded citizens, it is important for them not only to learn about imperialism and its various
manifestations, but also, and more urgently, how various populations have been affected by
imperialism and how their experiences are remembered through literature. While Heart of
Darkness may be controversial in its content and depiction, the text set serves to provide a
range of perspectives and representation of people who have interacted with imperialism,
both as oppressors, the oppressed, and their progeny.

25. Works Cited
Apocalypse Now. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando. Omni Zoetrope, 1979. DVD.
Achebe, C. (2016). An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The Massachusetts Review,57(1),
14-27. doi:10.1353/mar.2016.0003
Conrad, J. (2005). Heart of Darkness: Norton Critical (4th) Edition (4th ed.) (P. B. Armstrong, Ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
Unknown American artist. “The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters.” The Granger Collection, NYC., 1882.
Kipling, R. White Man’s Burden. Retrieved January 2017, 12, from
https://public.wsu.edu/~brians/world_civ/worldcivreader/world_civ_reader_2/kipling.html
May, T. (1899, February 18). The White Man's Burden [Cartoon]. The Detroit Journal.
Mitra, L. R. (n.d.). "Six Poems" - Noémia de Sousa[Scholarly project]. In Academia.edu. Retrieved
January 2017, 12, from http://www.academia.edu/6853126/No%C3%A9mia_de_Sousa_Six_Poems