How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #7
Before his extended arm could put down the hat Stevie pounced upon it, and bore it off reverently into the kitchen. And again Mr Verloc was surprised. "You could do anything with that boy, Adolf," Mrs Verloc said, with her best air of inflexible calmness. "He would go through fire for you." (9.10-9.11)
Bam, the theme of devotion pops up again; but this time we're seeing an example of Stevie's devotion to Adolf Verloc… wait. Hold up. This guy's name is Adolf. No wonder he's a baddie. Tragically, the reason Stevie thinks Mr. Verloc is so great is because Winnie and her mother have trained him for seven years to believe that Mr. Verloc is the moral center of the universe. They've done this because they want to basically guilt Verloc into taking care of Stevie, so they treat Verloc like a god of kindness. However, it's when Verloc realizes Stevie's devotion that he decides to use the boy for his own dastardly schemes. This is the tragic irony of the book, since the devotion that was supposed to protect Stevie is what ends up getting him killed.
Quote #8
"Might be father and son," she said to herself. She thought also that Mr Verloc was as much of a father as poor Stevie ever had in his life. She was aware also that it was her work. And with peaceful pride she congratulated herself on a certain resolution she had taken a few years before. It had cost her some effort, and even a few tears. (9.29)
Like her mother, Winnie is not above giving herself a pat on the back for protecting Stevie. What she doesn't realize, though, is that she's just sent Stevie to his death. The passage also mentions the sacrifice that Winnie made in her younger years when she decided to break up with her young lover so she could marry the much older Verloc. The mention of the father symbol is just about as warm a thought as Winnie has throughout this book, because she dreams of Stevie finding a place in Verloc's heart. Winnie has completely given herself to Stevie, and the only way she's ever going to feel happiness is if he does. But then again, living through somebody else never tends to work out. It's actually Winnie's devotion to Stevie that makes her lose her mind after he's dead, because she has no clue who she is without him. It's like Garfunkel without Simon, or Ringo without the rest of the Beatles.
Quote #9
She remembered brushing the boy's hair and tying his pinafores—herself in a pinafore still; the consolations administered to a small and badly scared creature by another creature nearly as small but not quite so badly scared. (11.51)
News of Stevie's death creates a huge flashback for Winnie, where she remembers the entire life she's spent caring for him. The whole thing has come to an end now, and Winnie's devotion no longer has anything to hold onto. The fact that Stevie's been completely blown to bits even robs her of a body to mourn over, and this fact is actually part of what inspires her to make a Verloc-kebab with her carving knife. The thought that her brother's been scooped up like kitty litter destroys her. This passage in particular also reminds us just how young Winnie was when she started caring for Stevie. The closest she's ever come to having her own life is her romance with the butcher's boy. Again, Conrad suggests that there's something very admirable about Winnie's self-sacrifice, but he's also quick to point out that this isn't necessarily the best way to live your life. When it comes to a bad world full of dirtbags, self-sacrifice ain't going to guarantee you anything.