The Oppression of His Dream

"Ah! the river! His old friend and his enemy, speaking always with the same voice
as he runs from year to year bringing fortune or disappointment . . ." (104).
Joseph Conrad's Almayer's Folly (1895)

Points for Reflection

Joseph Conrad's Almayer's Folly (1895)

chps. 1-4

1. why does Kaspar Almayer accept English sailor Captain Tom Lingard’s offer to marry Lingard’s adopted Malay daughter?  Consider not only the material circumstances of the transaction, but the nature of their relationship and the two men’s respective personalities
2. the narrator tells us that Almayer used to consider his Malay slaves “‘my own people’” (9). What do we discover in this week’s reading that helps explain why Almayer might no longer see the locals in this way?
3. Almayer longs to take his half-caste daughter, Nina, to Europe with him, though he has never been there (despite his Dutch lineage).  What does Europe represent for Almayer—why is he so drawn to this continent?
4. with chapter two, Conrad begins a long flashback that reveals the history of his primary characters.  He does not return to the moment with which chapter one ends until the end of chapter five.  Is this an effective narratological strategy?  Would it have been better storytelling to begin with the past events and then move into the present in linear fashion?
5. the narrator begins the backstory of Almayer’s Malay wife by summarily describing her people and background as “savage” (12). In the personal history which follows, does Conrad going about deconstructing or cementing the notion that the indigenous peoples of these islands are “savage”?
6. what function does Nina play in Almayer’s life?
7. does the narrative thus far encourage us to sympathize with Almayer’s wife?
8. is Almayer an ignorant innocent? Thus far we have heard quite a bit about his unawareness of various things around him. Is he a victim of circumstances out of his control?
9. do Nina’s beliefs, her character, and/or her dreams change under the influence of her mother? Is Nina, instead, the author of her own path and destiny?
10. the narrator told us in chapter two that, as a child, Nina prefers her father to her mother.  Does she show a similar preference as a young adult?
11. the narrator wonders whether Taminah, the Siamese slave owned by Bulangi, avoids complaining of her ill treatment due to "the dictates of prudence" or perhaps "the strange, resigned apathy of half-savage womankind" (23). Which explanation appears more accurate as the story progresses?
12. why might the narrator not immediately name either Taminah, Bulangi's Siamese slave, or Babalatchi , Lakamba's factotum, when introducing them (23-24)?
13. Nina has apparently decided that all humans—regardless of culture, beliefs, or social practice—share the same selfish proclivities, though she gravitates towards the “savage and uncompromising sincerity of purpose shown by her Malay kinsmen” (27). Does the narrative to this point encourage us to share both Nina’s cynicism and her slight preference?
14. what complex of intentions drives the upper-class Malay Dain (referred to as “Tuan Maroola” by Almayer and “A Son of Heaven” by Mrs. Almayer) to work so closely with Almayer?

chps. 5-8

1. does the general demeanor of either Dain or Nina change as a result of their relationship?
2. who wields the gaze of desire more often and more powerfully, Dain or Nina?  Or, do they employ it in equal measure?
3. what changing significations does Conrad apply to the word “savage”?
4. is the love and passion expressed by Dain that of a romantically experienced man?
5. consider Conrad's decision to hold back the details of Almayer's and Dain's dealings until they've been in cahoots for quite some time (52-53). Why the delay?
6. does Dain come across as a man of honor in this week’s reading?  Consider his actions and notions relative to trade, women, etc.
7. the narrator proves quite willing to assess openly characters like Babalatchi and Almayer—to pass judgment and offer commentary on their character.  Does this kind of commentary distract the reader?  Does it explain too much, or is it helpful?
8. does Almayer love his daughter, Nina?  Does she love him?  Upon what operational definition of “love” are you relying in answering this question?
9. the narrator characterizes Taminah as relatively unaware of her own latent desires, as largely ignorant of what lies buried within her own mind (72).  Is this characterization realistic? What triggers that transformation that leads Taminah er to better understand her layered psyche?
10. does the narrative thus far encourage us to sympathize with Taminah?
11. Almayer does not believe that his mind has become unhinged as a result of recent events.  Is he correct, or has he begun to show signs of mental instability?

chps. 9-12

1. Mem Almayer tells the incredulous Babalatchi that Almayer will kill someone if he learns about their plans to help Nina escape with Dina, that he’s quite capable of killing someone (86-87).  Is she accurate in her assessment of Almayer’s capacity for violence?
2. is Mem Almayer’s advice to Nina, about men, obviously particular to only her own experience, or do her observations have a cross-cultural ring of truth (95-97)?
3. the narrator opens the novel with Almayer gazing at a golden sunset, thinking about the gold which he has earned through above-the-board trade and which his competitors have won through subterfuge and dishonest means.  Does the novel ultimately support Almayer’s claim of personal innocence?
4. a number of characters—including Nina, Babalatchi, and Mrs. Almayer—critique the novel’s representatives of European culture (Almayer, the Dutch sailors, etc.).  Does the novel suggest that their criticism is warranted?
5. does Nina love her father?
6. at the beginning of chp 10, we see Nina briefly doubting her intended course of action (94).  Does the novel later suggest that she has made the wrong decision?
7. is Almayer’s dream (101) the nightmare of a drunk failure, or of all the human race?
8. why has Mrs. Almayer not killed her husband?  She has had many opportunities to do so.  (An answer to this question is not explicitly stated by the text, so you’ll have to perform some deductive reasoning.)
9. is Nature configured as friend or foe?  Is it latent with symbolism, or mere backdrop?  Why might Conrad wait till so late in this particular novel to indulge in detailed descriptions of the river (104), the forest (106), the sea (112), and the sun (120)?
10. does Dain’s love for Nina hold the promise of life-long commitment?
11. does Dain’s love for Nina hold the promise of life-long commitment, or are we encouraged to accept the perspective of both Mem Almayer and Kaspar as concerns a Malay prince’s libido (98, 114)?
12. why does Almayer ask his precious daughter to stop looking him in the face (115)?
13. who yields more to the other, Dain or Nina?  Or, is theirs a mutual deference and submission?
14. why does Almayer not give in to the hopeful dream painted by one half of his psyche (124)?
15. are Almayer’s attempts to erase his memory efficacious?

Merry Structure (1926)
Wassily Kandinsky

Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu