A burnt-out case post II

The challenge for Querry is to remain indifferent as he gets more involved in the African community and the bored locals start to turn him into some sort of saint completely misunderstanding his motives.

Bullet points from pages 61 - 118

* Rycker's wife comes to see Querry after a chapter setting the scene that she is struggling to meet her husbands expectations both socially and sexually

* She overhears Querry being rude about her husband and storms off

* Things start to develop with myths being created around Querry with Father Thomas, Rycker and others starting to paint him out to be some sort of saint who has chosen to bury himself in the bush

* In a moment of weakness Querry tells Dr Colin that he is happy but the boat comes in with a journalist on board that threatens to destroy that feeling

* Querry is honest with the journalist, Parkinson, but the hack reacts with anger and says that the story demands that he builds Querry up and says that when he is finished they will be erecting statutes to him

* This section of the book ends with Querry looking back over some of the things that Parkinson has stirred up and you get the feeling he is starting to re-evaluate his behaviour with some feelings of regret

Just as with The Heart of Darkness there are themes of darkness and light creeping in with Father Thomas scared of the dark and worried the jungle will creep on his room. Also for the second time, while discussing Querry with Father Thomas, Dr Colin describes Querry as a burnt-out case