Although Ann-Sophie has just posted her interpretation of the papier-maché Mephistopheles, I too wanted to contribute my take on the comparison.
The papier maché Mephistopheles is an interesting comparison. The allusion is to the legend about the damnation of Faust, where Faust is a character who trades his soul to devil in exchange for limitless knowledge. Faust's pact is an act of ignorance, especially in its irony in which Faust was actually seeking more knowledge. Mephistopheles in the legend is a messenger or representative of the devil who meets with Faust to seal the pact, and serves his end of the bargain for 24 years. Also, papier maché is a material that can be molded and hardens when dry. In this case it seems that the so-called Mephistopheles is a manipulated character who then will serve the same purpose as the Mephistopheles as the one in the old German legend. The scene that Marlow describes evidently makes him out to be Faust and the other man (I forgot who he is) is Mephistopheles. Marlow had said before on page 25 "I fancy I see it now." The note talks about some kind of plot to eliminate Kurtz, who was next in line to become manager of the Station. Marlow apparently feels himself being dragged into this so-called plot as Faust.
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