As we previously studied the influence of the Faust legend and Dante's "Inferno" we today examined the text to locate the direct and indirect allusions in the opening pages. We noted how the "outer station" is reminiscent of Dante's first ring of Hell, and further noted references to devilish attributes of the station as well as the author's characterizing the station as an Inferno. Additionally, we examined the author's controversial negative depictions of women and of African native tribes. As the narrative framework of the novel is Marlowe's recitation of his journey down the Congo River, I addressed the distinction between Marlowe the narrator and Marlowe the character ,who has yet not experienced the dark side of human nature that gives the novel its name. After we identified the novel's biting critique of European Colonialism , I then introduced the theme of "restraint ". What keeps Man's dark impulses in check, self -restaint or societal restraint such as the law, societal presence , and religion?. We discussed how this question becomes more pressing as Marlowe leaves all remnants of societal restraint behind as he travels deep into the heart of the Congo. Last, we reviewed Nina's study guide homework, and completed an exercise identifying how the author uses imagery and descriptions to create mood and atmosphere of both the City of Brussels and of the grim Outer Station.
As the final exam is scheduled for Friday, we today reviewed our initially studied topics: sources of law, the distinction between civil and criminal law, and types of civil law-contract, tort and administrative. After reviewing the roles of various federal agencies, we addressed contract topics including offer and acceptance, and forms of valid consideration to support a contract.
In this activity, Nina used derivatives to graph and analyze two functions. First derivative was used to determine intervals of increasing and decreasing and relative max and min. She used the second derivative to determine concavity and inflection points.
In this activity, Nina determined the derivative of quadratic and rational functions by using the definition of derivative. These are long multistep problems.
In this activity, Nina started working on her first Business Calculus exam from University of Pittsburgh. In this session, Nina completed the limits part of the exam.
We began our study of this enigmatic novel by first noting similarities between the novel's narrative structure and the narrative structure of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Nina astutely pointed out that the novel is saturated with imagery and from this comment I explained the relationship between imagery and symbolism . We studied the opening pages in detail examining the difference between the frame narrator and Marlowe, the actual teller of the underlying story , both in attitude and physical traits. I addressed why the underlying story is addressed to the narrator, an accountant ,a lawyer, and corporate director who due to their elevated social status and wealth remain insulated from the truth of Man's nature that Marlowe's story will reveal. We then addressed the novel's open criticism of Colonialism and compared the frame narrator's naiveté to Marlowe's despairing view of Colonial enterprises. We further discussed the racism inherent in the sententious justifications for exploitation . In that regard, we analyzed the author 's reference to this justification as a "great idea" that European powers "bow to" . We critically further noted how Marlowe explains that England too was once considered "savage" by its Roman conquerers thereby drawing an analogy between the conquest of England and the conquest of Africa by Western powers.
