Reading 1001 discussion

Review thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

1. How does Nostromo's initial reputation as the "incorruptible" man give way to his ultimate corruption?

2. What are the contradictions and mysteries surrounding Nostromo's character and motivations as presented by Conrad?

3. How do the characters of Dr. Mony, Charles Gould, and Martin Decoud represent different facets of power, idealism, and disillusionment in Costaguana?

4. What does the silver and the San Tomé mine symbolize, and how does their presence influence the plot and the characters' actions?

5. In what ways does Nostromo serve as a critique of foreign influence and capitalist exploitation in a developing nation?

6. How does the political instability and corruption within the fictional republic of Costaguana reflect or comment on real-world political and economic issues?

7. How does Conrad's narrative technique, particularly the way he presents information and builds character, contribute to the novel's themes of uncertainty and fragmentation?

8. What role do the women in the novel play, and how do they challenge or reinforce patriarchal structures within the story?

9. How does the emphasis on silence and reported speech, rather than direct dialogue, affect the reader's understanding of the characters and events?

10. Considering Nostromo was published in 1904, what are its most enduring aspects as a political novel, and which elements might seem outdated today?

I just want to say that I'm reading Nostromo, and am halfway now. This is my 4th Conrad work, the others being Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, and The Secret Agent. I read Lord Jim so long ago I think I will read it again in the near future.

For a novel written by a man born and raised in Poland, the writing is amazingly articulate and vivid. I've found the story somewhat dull and seemingly rambling until near the middle however. I think the novel's 3.81 average rating reflects this. The middle part reminds me of Dumas' best work, as in The Count of Monte Cristo.
The four reviews we have in our group's review section are well-thought out, one has some spoiler info though.

4. What does the silver and the San Tomé mine symbolize, and how does their presence influence the plot and the characters' actions?

I suppose the silver is the physical nature of a country being exploited and exported by colonists - except that in the end that doesn't happen. The silver is mostly lost, and nobody profits from it. Even on a personal level, the part that Nostromo acquired doesn't win him the girl he wanted.

As far as the second half of the book goes, the silver is the plot. The story revolves around it. But in the first half, it is one aspect of privilege in an apparently peaceful city.

5. In what ways does Nostromo serve as a critique of foreign influence and capitalist exploitation in a developing nation?

This book didn't give me the impression that Conrad was either for or against colonialism. The character Nostromo is not native to the country - he is Italian. The owner of the mine is British, but as far as I remember, most of the other characters are Spanish colonists or their descendants rather than indigenous people, or maybe the book was not clear about that. There was certainly criticism of capitalism, but I didn't pick up a feeling that Conrad was supporting indigenous people here.

6. How does the political instability and corruption within the fictional republic of Costaguana reflect or comment on real-world political and economic issues?

This was written in 1904 when different colonising nations were beginning to fight each other more fiercely for their colonies. This had happened 150 years before in North America with the British vs the French, but much more recently in South Africa (1899-1902) with the British vs the Dutch-descended settlers. In another 10 years these conflicts between European nations for control of the developing world would be one of the major causes of World War I. Conrad as a fairly recent immigrant to England seems to be pro-British in that the Goulds are shown as relatively uncorrupted.

8. What role do the women in the novel play, and how do they challenge or reinforce patriarchal structures within the story?

Women can be very strong in this novel. Mrs Gould is at least as much of a power in the city as her husband, and the two daughters of the lighthouse-keeper also exert a strong power, although on a much more emotional level - they are dependent on their father in material if not emotional terms.

Rosemary wrote:
8. What role do the women in the novel play, and how do they challenge or reinforce patriarchal structures within the story?

Women can be very strong in this novel. Mrs Gould is at least as much of a power in the city as her husband, and the two daughters of the lighthouse-keeper also exert a strong power, although on a much more emotional level - they are dependent on their father in material if not emotional terms.

The character Antonia, fiancee of Martin Decoud is also a strong woman- I recall someone in the novel saying she had been given too much freedom growing up so that no man would want her now. Much the same happens with the title character in "Iphigenia" in Venezuela which I read recently [de la Parra, Teresa - 1924]. She eventually pretends to be more submissive and uneducated than in reality for the sake of a marriage.
I haven't yet finished but am about 2/3 through. It's longer than I thought it was.

1. How does Nostromo's initial reputation as the "incorruptible" man give way to his ultimate corruption?

Others view Nostromo as incorruptible because they can only see him in relationship to their own values, he displays loyalty, hard work, and the ability to have others bend to his will. He is fearless in the face of practical dangers. He is even good looking. However, his whole sense of himself is tied up in what others think of him, his name and reputation, what in today's world would be called his "brand". Over the course of the novel and particularly through the eyes of Madame Viola, he comes to realize that others in the upper class do not think of him at all except as someone that they can use, and that therefore he must take advantage of every opportunity. He continues to hide the treasure, his new "love", in order to think highly of himself. He desperately needs to be admired and in that way is a supreme egotist.

2. What are the contradictions and mysteries surrounding Nostromo's character and motivations as presented by Conrad?

As a man that both the upper class and the working stevedores come to depend on, he projects someone who is disinterested in what others think of him. However he actually cares very much about public recognition and indeed, wants to be rewarded through a mythical fame and also through sharing some of the wealth. The doctor can see this need for recognition in Nostromo but we learn about other people's views through gossip, and other character's dialogue and memories and they can not see Nostromo as a whole being, they see him as the myth he has projected. We do hear from Nostromo directly but only in mutterings, and simple thoughts that he whispers to himself. He grows more and more resentful against those people who use him and the silver becomes a way to give himself recognition and fame, but he can not really use it and therefore the very thing he is using for the ultimate in recognition is an empty promise.

3. How do the characters of Dr. Mony, Charles Gould, and Martin Decoud represent different facets of power, idealism, and disillusionment in Costaguana?

Charles Gould is clearly the symbol of capitalism. His hard work and someone else's money will both bring him riches but also enrich the world. In this way he is an idealist but the prosperity and order he believes he is supporting is only what he needs to continue to exploit the mine. He initially believes that there will be cultural as well as financial rewards but he is blinded to his real motivations.

Martin Decoud is really interesting. He is educated and full of irony. He only half heartedly believes in the ideals of progress and democracy but he sees that these ideals may win him the love of Antonia and so he adopts them. He is a man of mind and as a journalist, a man of the written word. He can see the future but can not be the man of action that will bring it about. The very second that he is taken out of the context of intellectual dialogue and is forced to confront himself alone, he dissolves.

Dr Monygham - The doctor had fought with the real and the idealized world in earlier revolutions and lost. He lost his self regard and his faith in any ideal human endeavor. Unlike Nostromo's incorruptibility, Dr. Monygham knows himself to be already corrupted. He really cares only for Madame Gould and sees her as the only treasure worth fighting for and he does this with the meager resources he has at hand and with no expectations that Madame Gould will reward him in any way. He is capable of finding a way through compromising himself and others in order to move forward.

4. What does the silver and the San Tomé mine symbolize, and how does their presence influence the plot and the characters' actions?

The mine is actually the star of the show. It is the ultimate stabilizing influence amidst revolutionary upheavals but it is also the material interest that corrupts absolutely.

5. In what ways does Nostromo serve as a critique of foreign influence and capitalist exploitation in a developing nation?

Conrad does not give us a vision in which the indigenous natives or the upper class creoles are capable of managing the business of nation building. However, he sees the foreign capitalist exploitation of these people and their resources as an even greater evil in that it is two faced. It comes in the name of order and growing a capable culture but it is really there only to exploit. Close to the end of the book, Conrad makes it clear that there will be another revolution in the near future because the people will continue to rise up in the face of not getting a share of their own resources.

7. How does Conrad's narrative technique, particularly the way he presents information and builds character, contribute to the novel's themes of uncertainty and fragmentation?

We are given a view into the events and the characters of the story through many people's views and then on occasion, through the thoughts of the different characters. In this way, we are given a modern literature brand of multiple perspectives to build the whole.

8. What role do the women in the novel play, and how do they challenge or reinforce patriarchal structures within the story?

The women, by virtue of the time and culture they find themselves in, must bend down to the patriarchal powers. The women are actually depicted as rather independent, thoughtful and strong, but their independence and strength is largely used to support one of the men. Madame Gould supports her husband; Antonia, her father and then her uncle; Linda, her father and the lighthouse he is supposed to maintain.

9. How does the emphasis on silence and reported speech, rather than direct dialogue, affect the reader's understanding of the characters and events?

We are always getting insights into the characters through the thoughts of others or snipets of narration rather than learning about a character directly through their own words. This causes much of the tales within the story to be questionable in veracity.

I read this in 2023. I also experienced it as difficult to get into and marked it as a possible reread. I didn't take the opportunity. Your discussions have reminded me about the book.

I slowed my pace in the last third but finally finished today. Four stars minus. Extremely lucid and well-developed but the story a little dull. I think Conrad just put about 30% too many words in this for one thing, making the story very slow. A condensed version 65- 75% as long might have gotten a five star rating for me.
In the first half, Charles Gould, the CEO and a primary owner of the San Tome mine, is the main character. "Nostromo" the dock foreman who became a mine foreman is the main character of the second half.
Now to pick up the pace on Herzog, which also seems to move slowly!