(1) "I went to work the next day, turning, so to speak, my back on that station. (2) In that way only it seemed to me I could keep my hold on the redeeming facts of life. (3) Still, one must look about sometimes; and then I saw this station, these men strolling aimlessly about in the sunshine of the yard. (4) I asked myself sometimes what it all meant. (5) They wandered here and there with their absurd long staves in their hands, like a lot of faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence. (6) The word 'ivory' rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. (7) You would think they were praying to it. (8) A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse. (9) By Jove! I've never seen anything so unreal in my life. (10) And outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion. (11) "Oh, these months! Well, never mind. (12) Various things happened. (13) One evening a grass shed full of calico, cotton prints, beads, and I don't know what else, burst into a blaze so suddenly that you would have thought the earth had opened to let an avenging fire consume all that trash. (14) I was smoking my pipe quietly by my dismantled steamer, and saw them all cutting capers in the light, with their arms lifted high, when the stout man with moustaches came tearing down to the river, a tin pail in his hand, assured me that everybody was 'behaving splendidly, splendidly,' dipped about a quart of water and tore back again. (15) I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail.

Sentences 12 and 13 ("Oh, these months! Well, never mind. Various things happened.") marks Marlow's shift to

a description of an event strictly to provide levity
an analysis of the station's current state of affairs
an anecdote to reveal the evil nature of the African jungle
an explanation of the risks involved in the ivory trade
a recollection of a singular event given as an example

1. in creon’s first words to the chorus, what are the “storms” that threatened to destroy the ship of state?   polynices’ invation of the city with foreign armies was the “storms” eteocles and polynices decided to switch the crown every year, but after eteocles’ first year decided not to share it with polynices. polynices joined forces with foreign armies to invade the city and tried to take the crown from his brother, where he and eteocles killed each other   2. examine creon’s opening speech. what are his concerns? how does he feel about the city and its citizens? what are his motivations for banning the burial of polyneices? what would drive creon to place the concerns of the collective citizens over those of his family?   in creon’s opening speech, his concerns are to count on his citizens to rule. in addition, he wanted to give a clear message by not giving a proper burial to polyneices, if creon gave a proper burial to polyneices his people would think that he was an allied to the foreign forces that invaded the city and threatened the peace of his people.   creon placed the concerns of the collective citizens because he has no use for those who put individual concerns over the needs of his people 3. pay attention to creon’s speech at the beginning of the scene. what does creon think someone’s first loyalty should be and what comes second? do you think he is correct under some conditions? do you think he is wrong in some conditions? explain those conditions. creon thinks someone’s first loyalty should be with the concerns of the collective citizens and second comes our individual wants. i think he is correct because true loyalty takes place in the benefits of many not of a few.   4. what news is the sentry reluctant to deliver?   the sentry is reluctant to say that polyneices had a burial. 5. who does the chorus suggest might have done this?   the chorus suggests that the gods have done that 6. what is creon’s reaction and who does creon think is responsible? creon reacted abruptly and thinks it was a man who bribed his guard to bury polyneices