What Books Mean

In the beginning of the second chapter, Marlow finds a book "An Inquiry into some Points of Seamanship"(68). This book is not only an indication that there was a man in the land before their arrival but also a source of distraction from the harsh reality for Marlow. He "handled this amazing antiquity with the greatest possible tenderness" (68) because that distraction was like a reward after such hardship. Marlow states that the book was " not a very enthralling book; but ... you could see there a singleness of intention, an honest concern for the right way of going to work, which made these humble pages ... luminous with another than a professional light" (68). He sees the compassion that the author of the book had for the readers. This indicates Marlow's ability to see different sides of things that others may not be able to catch. He makes the book meaningful in a different way than it's supposed to be. This along with the "extravagant mystery" (69) of the ciphers from the Englishman serves as the main reason why Marlow gets so captivated by the book.

In this part of the book, Conrad's view on books, or literary works, is shown through Marlow's reaction to the book. According Conrad, a book provides one with rest or disconnection from the world. It also gives one a "delicious sensation of having come upon something unmistakably real" (68). The pleasure from reading a book certainly exceeds the pleasure one gets from the reality. Thus, a book is a distraction from reality that often times provides one with helpful and meaningfull lessons.