Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
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Heart Of Darkness Passage Analysis
1. Heart Of Darkness Passage Analysis
In the passage, Conrad focuses on the worker's infatuation with ivory. Marlow had just arrived at Central Station and was beginning to offer his
impression of the station. Central Station, filled with inconsequential workers, acted as the hub for the Company's operation in the Congo. It is at this
point that all the ivory from around the colony meets before being shipped to Europe. The Central Station also acts as the area where new, brightâeyed
workers go before being sent to their respective precinct. The importâexport business combines at the one bright point in the darkness of the Congo.
The "pilgrims" as Marlow calls them, "whisper" of "ivory" in the passage above. He notes that "You would think they were praying to it." that's because
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2. Essay on Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness is a dark and haunting tale about the search for a substantial and mysteriously powerful man named Mr. Kurtz.
Heart of Darkness centers around Marlow, a sailor and also narrator of the novella. Throughout the work, Conrad uses an array of literary devices to
suggest his style of writing.
The title of the work itself, The Heart of Darkness, is an example of the use of metaphor. Darkness is a significant part of the book's title conceptually.
However, it is difficult to discern exactly what it might mean, given that absolutely everything in the book takes place in darkness. Africa, England,
and Brussels are all described as gloomy and somehow dark, even if the sun is shining brightly. Darkness thus...show more content...
Conrad uses repetition in a manner that allows the reader to fully see what he is attempting to emphasize..
The irony of the work lies within the title and the central themeâ darkness versus light. The irony within the work is based on the fact that one must
travel through the darkness to get to the light.
Conrad's ability to manipulate the language and it's literary elements, makes the work quite interesting and intriguing to engage. The use of these
literary elements creates an aura within the work both complex and suspenseful.
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, to civilize means to raise from barbarism to an enlightened stage of
development; bring out of a primitive or savage state, or to educate in matters of culture and refinement; make more polished or sophisticated.
In Heart of Darkness,the sense of the definition is dependent upon Mr. Kurtz's mission to promote his ideas as to what it means to be civilized. Mr.
Kurtz was a wellâknown man who has achieved a distinguished reputation for maintaining the ivory trade."Kurtz is a prodigy . . . He is an emissary
of pity and science and progress, and devil knows what else" (47).He could live a life of luxury by selling his ivory in Europe. The company's Chief
Accountant remarks, "He will be a somebody in the Administration before long. They, aboveââ the
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3. Essay on Heart of Darkness
Heart of DarknessâISP
By: Robert Pittelli You can argue that nearly everyone on this planet has at least one desire within that is so dark and evil that they would do anything
to achieve that goal. However, most individuals are capable of controlling and taming their greedy desires for personal gain such as wealth, power, and
fame, to the point where they are concealed, leaving their sanity untouched by the extreme darkness of their sinful wishes. Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart
of Darkness, provides the greatest example of how man's appetite for greed can prevail and consume almost an entire race's soul into complete and
utter madness, to the stage where it is solely driven by the blackness and impurity of greed. In Heart of Darkness,...show more content...
The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading post where ivory was to be had, so that they could earn percentages." (Conrad, Heart
of Darkness 29). The European trading company was all about hunting for ivory, and the greediest member of all was Kurtz, and coincidentally the
most deranged of them all. Kurtz would, in the words stated by the Russian, "go off on another ivory hunt; disappear for weeks; forget himself
amongst these peopleâforget himselfâyou know.' 'Why! He's mad, I said [Marlow said]." (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 70). Eventually, Kurtz reached
the point where he was solely driven by the material desire for ivory, and as a result, suffered the fate of madness; "Evidently the appetite for more
ivory had got the better of theâwhat shall I say? âless material aspirations," (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 71) Marlow asserted, referring to Kurtz.
It is apparent that Kurtz longed for ivory, but why is this material good so seductive and luring to him. What if we look at this from a
psychological perspective? Stephen Ross, from the University of Victoria, tries to answer this question by concluding that ivory's "real power lies in
its status as a fetishized signifier" (Ross, Desire in Heart of Darkness 71). He adds that ivory is "not only of the Company's desire, but also of its
employees' desire in as much as they earn percentages on the
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4. Essay on Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
The dark thoughts, which are usually ignored and not allowed to be brought up in conversation, are pushed back into the remote corners of the mind,
but have the ability to run free when man is in his most vulnerable state. Sleep, the unconscious. It is in dreams where twisted stories of malevolence
and horror take place. The soul's core is full of sin from the first minute man is born. Even Adam, the original man, who was born when the earth began
its timeline, has sin running through his blood. He was God's first human creation, but destined to fall into the hands of the devil. Illustrated through
chiaroscuro, every man has a heart of darkness that is drowned out by the light of civilization. However, when removed...show more content...
Marlow's sensations, as he travels up the river, and back in time, are unique to him and cannot be fully shared with another man, because that man has
not walked in Marlow's shoes, with the same perception and mind. Although the "devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire"
(pg. 81) shine through the darkness of the jungle, Marlow can never bring himself to fully condemn the imperialist project in Africa because it would
threaten his identity as a European. As he encroaches along the path of selfâdiscovery, "beating on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past" (The Great Gatsby, pg. 189) the first glimpses of what man is really made up of are too much to bear. The harsh descriptions of the
white man's brutality against the natives arise queasiness in any sane person. To admit that Marlow is part of this absurd form of living would
characterize him a savage, something a white man could never be, since evil is symbolized through dark colors. Marlow is confronted with a series
of exteriors and surfaces, such as the river's banks and the forest walls around the station, which he must interpret in order to see its true purpose for
being. The exterior of a person's face can tell the story of their past, whether they have suffered for the majority of their lives or have lived a sheltered
lifestyle. A man can be considered good until he is faced with a dilemma. The true nature of himself is depicted through
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5. Heart of Darkness Essay
Heart of Darkness Essay
Morality has been interpreted in different ways throughout life, but there is only one true definition, which leads to the reality of what society truly
is. Joseph Conrad uses narration in Heart of Darkness to explain and analyze human's moral values. It is true that all humans are savages, but this
savage nature does not make someone a bad person. If a person uses one's savage features for evil and do not restrain from doing so, then it is the
lack of restraint that brings upon the evil in humans. Restraint is necessary for the sake of mankind because it helps a person to ease into
understanding the harsh reality of life. Morality is the ability to restrain from using one's savage nature for the demise of...show more content...
In the colonization of the Congo, the strong Europeans did not restrain from using their savage nature and took away all freedom for greed. The
natives, which are cannibals in this case, are strong and powerful in this situation and can probably destroy the Europeans and take away their
freedom as well, but they do not. They restrain from doing something that is wrong: winning an unfair fight. This concludes that because of restraint
the natives understand right and wrong and the Europeans do not. The ability to restrain allows individuals to act morally and therefore leads to a
much more stable society. Restraint not only allows humans to act justly, it also helps people to understand life and its cruelty better. The truth, hidden
beneath the lies of society, creates negative affects to humans once it is uncovered. Humans use lies to cope with life to such an extent that the lie
itself becomes the truth because it is engraved within the mind of the individual. The harshness of life is the realization that the life one lives is a lie.
Sometimes this realization is so intense people cannot accept it and will eventually collapse, which will in turn cause society to collapse as well.
Conrad uses the concept of the lie being the truth to show that humans try to make sense of life even though
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6. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Essay
It is hard to find a more profound description of the colonialist ideal of the 19th century, than how it is illustrated in Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of
Darkness. The story revolves around Marlowe, a steamboat captain in Belgian Congo, who is assigned to find Kurtz, an ivory trader, who has
distanced himself from the rest of the trading company and gone into the deeper parts of Africa.
In spite of the fact that Joseph Conrad is not a native Englishâspeaker, his the book has an very sophisticated and complex plot and text structure. The
most interesting is not illustrating purpose of the book, it is what kind of message, the book is trying to bring forth, because there is many.
An essential theme of Joseph Conrad's book is the critique...show more content...
One more interesting element in Joseph Conrad's novel is how the characters develop and how the other characters describe each other, especially
how other characters describe Kurtz to Marlowe. A closer look at the character would reveal a man almost free from prejudices and he meets the
book's other characters with some incredulity. Even when he talks with his aunt, when he tells about his new job, he finds her quite ignorant and naive.
"She talked about 'weaning those ignorant from their horrid ways,' till, upon my word, she made me quite uncomfortable. I ventured to hint that the
company was run for profit.(p.6)" Marlowe can struck as bit odd, for joining the trading station, when he knows that it does not have an assistive
purpose and in the same time, have an very antagonistic attitude towards prejudices and narrowâmindedness. An argument for Marlowe's indifference
would be that he do not know how the state is in Congo. Which could explain he becomes aware of when he arrives at the outer trading station and it
is what he finds there that makes him to oppose the whole idea of colonialism
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7. Analysis Of The Movie ' Heart Of Darkness '
Read The Book Watch The Movie Essayâ Heart of Darkness
An arrow pierced the Helmsman's chest and he fell to the deck. Captain Marlow hastily took the wheel. As he navigated the steamboat up the Congo
River, his feet began to feel warm and sticky. He looked down and realized that his shoes were filled with the fallen helmsman's blood. He quickly
discarded his shoes, and in order to prevent the cannibal crew from eating the body, Marlow had to dump him overboard into the brown, foreboding
water.
This is a scene from the book Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad (1899), and from the movie "Heart of Darkness", directed by Nicolas Roeg (1993).
In both works, a man named Marlow takes a job with a Belgian trading company to captain a steamboat up...show more content...
Conrad uses vague, ambiguous words like "monotonous" and "featureless" to describe the continent throughout the book. Even the rainforest and
shoreline, the only real features Conrad elaborates on in the quote, are elusively described as "black" and "blurred". The movie, however,
capitalizes on this unfamiliar setting, and the continent of Africa is shown in all it's captivating detail. The Congo River, instead of being portrayed
as merely "darkness", is murky brown and narrow, with lush vegetation creeping over the banks, almost growing into the water. The rainforest is
thick and very tropical, with dense greenery and a wet, humid atmosphere. The book also provides ambiguous descriptions of the natives of Africa,
while the movie brings these "savages" to life. For example, the natives are described as "mostly black and naked, moving about like ants," on page
fortyâeight, and simply "black shadows" on page fifty three. The movie, however, portrays the natives Marlow encounters as cultural and lively, with
vibrant clothing and ornate jewelry. The members of Marlow's crew are more than just "black and naked" â they are strong and muscular, with many
unique features, such as tattoos and body piercings.
In this way, "Heart of Darkness" brings an otherwise unmentioned landscape to life. It allows the viewer to really visualize features that Conrad simply
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9. Heart Of Darkness Analytical Essay
In the novel Heart of Darkness, the character Marlow travels in a steamship into the Congo to find and bring back Kurtz and his stash of ivory.
Marlow spent much of his journey fantasizing about the man called Kurtz that he had never seen before, only heard about. However, when the
moment of the meeting finally arrives, Marlow is met with a sickly man reaching his end. They bring him onto the steamship to take him back to
Europe, but he dies soon after, leaving Marlow with his last words: "The horror! The horror!" (Conrad 64). As his life leaves him, Kurtz realizes the
evils he and the Europeans have committed, leaving him with only these last thoughts. Kurtz's greed for ivory runs deep. He managed to convince a
native tribe to follow him
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10. Heart Of Darkness
Darkness is within us, whether we like it or not. However, the only thing that can conquer darkness is light. What happens if there is no light? This
dilemma is explored in Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness. Throughout the novel, Conrad successfully uses darkness as a symbol through the
use of flies, ivory and Marlow's journey through the Congo River. Throughout the novel, Conrad shows how as people explore the unknown they tend
to lose their innocence as they are exposed to the negative aspects of life. One's perspective might be different from another's, similarly, darkness can
be seen in many different ways. One of the ways darkness can be seen is through death. As Marlow's journey continues, he encounters many flies.
Whenever an...show more content...
Being lost there is horrifying as one may experience the true darkness of the river. As Marlow and his crew travel upstream towards Kurtz, they
struggle, which makes it seem that the river does not want them to go there. This reveals that the river is trying to expel all the light remaining and
trying to embrace the darkness. Additionally, Marlow's steamboat gets caught in a white fog. The colour white represents purity, however, in this
case it illustrates darkness. The white fog distorts Marlow and his crew's vision as a result, they have no idea what lies ahead in the open dark river.
Marlow and his team become afraid as they wonder what is going to happen next. Due to this, the darkness which lurks in their thoughts grabs a hold
of them. Later on in the novel, Marlow decides that he will go into the yellow colour which is dead in the centre, furthermore, he says "the river was
thereâfascinatingâdeadlyâlike a snake" (14). Conrad depicts the Congo River as a snake, which reveals that the river holds a sense of danger and
adds onto the illustration of darkness. In summary, Conrad uses the nature of the river as a symbol to successfully express the true inner darkness.
Overall, Conrad successfully manages to use darkness as a symbol. Conrad expresses this by using the flies, ivory and Marlow's journey through the
Congo River. This goes to show that when one explores the unknown, it can cause them to experience and acquire
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11. Heart Of Darkness
Due to Heart of Darkness' circular narrative structure, Marlow begins and concludes his story in identical positions: sitting on a boat on the River
Thames in a Buddhaâlike pose. Yet, while this circularity could imply an absence of progress or development, instead, it reflects Marlow's ongoing
search for meaning. Knowles (p.xxxi) expands, commenting, "... [Conrad] implies that the end is but a beginning to another telling." As such,
Marlow is trapped in an infinite retelling, searching for meanings that elude him. In fact, Marlow's atypical perception of meaning is emphasised
before his story commences, "... [to Marlow] the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel, but outside enveloping the tale (p.6)."
Thereafter, Marlow acknowledges his journey was "...not very clear...and yet it seemed to throw a kind of light (p.9)." These passages advise readers
not to expect a linear, finite narrative, while also foreshadowing Marlow's pursuit for interpretable meaning....show more content...
Nevertheless, obstacles preclude Marlow from conclusively understanding events. For example, recurrent fog prevents him from lucidly assessing
reality: "When the sun rose there was a white fog, very warm and clammy, and more blinding than the night (p.48)." Here, Marlow is literally and
symbolically blinded; he cannot see physical events, or abstract meanings. Moreover, Marlow frequently overhears isolated conversation fragments,
including a discussion between The Manager and his nephew (pp.38â40). Although Marlow understands what he literally hears, he lacks the context to
ascertain broader
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12. Throughout its entirety, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness utilizes many contrasts and paradoxes in an attempt to teach readers about the complexities
of both human nature and the world. Some are more easily distinguishable, such as the comparison between civilized and uncivilized people, and some
are more difficult to identify, like the usage of vagueness and clarity to contrast each other. One of the most prominent inversions contradicts the typical
views of light and dark. While typically light is imagined to expose the truth and darkness to conceal it, Conrad creates a paradox in which darkness
displays the truth and light blinds us from it. Initially, the story endorses the conventional views of Western society, exhibiting light as a
...show more
content...
When the paradox between Kurtz's Intended and his Mistress presents itself, it calls to attention the inversion of light and dark and the subsequent
reversal of truth and ignorance. His Mistress is a woman of the jungle, not only originating from it but, in essence, being it. She, in contrast to a
Western woman, is not hidden from the truth, but is, rather, submerged in it. "Her face had a tragic and fierce aspect of wild sorrow and of dumb pain
mingled with the fear of some struggling, halfâshaped resolve" (Conrad 56). Unlike The Intended, she expresses "wild sorrow" and "dumb pain", deep
and immensely honest emotions. These emotions expressed are terrifically different than those of The Intended. "She carried her sorrowful head as
though she was proud of that sorrow" (Conrad 69). While Kurtz's Mistress conveyed raw pain and frantic fear, his Intended demonstrates a sort of
honorable mourning "as though she was proud of that sorrow". They also contrast in that his Mistress is depicted in dark and rich colors, fairly
exorbitant in dress. "a crimson spot on her tawny cheek, innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her neck; bizarre things, charms, gifts of witch men,
that hung about her, glittered and trembled at every step" (Conrad 56). Her skin is "tawny", she walks with "innumerable necklaces" and "bizarre
things" that "glittered and trembled". This paints a dark, vivid image that
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13. Heart Of Darkness Imagery
Imagery is a wonderful tools authors use in order to get an idea across to the audience. Rather that idea is made blatantly clear, or if that idea is up to
debate, all depends on what the author wants. In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses imagery to foreshadow, explain, and even to force the reader
to decipher what it is he truly means. One of the largest foreshadows is the two women knitting with black yarn: "Two women, one fat and the other
slim, sat on straw bottomed chairs, knitting black wool" (Conrad 1958). This is an allusion to the Fates in Greek mythology. The three fates would knit
out the fates of humankind. This poses a question, though: why are there only two? Traditionally, they are depicted together as past, present, and
future. These two, though, represent only the present and future. The black thread, also,...show more content...
Taking into account that Kurtz painted it, it could be a form of his own thoughts of European Imperialism. Although they think they are holding onto
a church of civilization, they blind themselves from the actual events occurring. Marlow, though, could take it a different, more personal, way. He
purposefully blinds himself from the wrongdoings he does throughout the trip. All the while, he imagines that he is helping the Natives. Not only
does he, in a way, befriends some of his crewmates, but he even feeds some at an earlier point. Some of his actions, though, betray this. When the
man dies on the ship, he immediately goes to get a new pair of shoes instead of mourning the loss of his man. Lastly, he's trying to find the light in
the dark, but the majority of the story is his struggle of whom to follow. Symbolism plays a large role in The Heart of Darkness. Through symbolism,
the reader is able to interpret foreshadowing. Symbolism is used to explain situations and ideas. Lastly, it draws into question complex ideas, the
majority of them surrounding
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14. Heart Of Darkness Essay Questions
1# "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than
ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." Part 1, pg. 4
Issue: How does a society resolve the contradictions presented by freedom and equality?
Explanation: Marlow is about to begin his story with a comparison of the Romans expansion and the British colonization. Marlow displays his disgust
in the control and enslavement of other people. He after his experiences on his adventure in the jungle and seeing how they used the natives in the in
the ivory trade back to Europe. He relates the efficiency used by the British with the brutality used by the romans to show that they are not...show more
content...
In the jungle, there is an absence of society to control man and thus evil overcomes them. When there is an absence of society man feels free to do
what he wants and thus falls into the evil in his heart. Society is present it acts a barrier between man's dark heart and reality. Without a strong held
faith man loses out to the evil forces that reside in his heart. Therefore, as an individual presented to society one need a strong faith in God to continue
to be
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15. Heart of Darkness Essay
1.Some critics believe that in Heart of Darkness Conrad illustrates how ''the darkness of the landscape can lead to the darkness of the social
corruption." This statement means that if the environment is dark, then the people in that environment will match the surrounding feeling, which is
dark and depressing. For example, if it is a gloomy rainy day, most people feel tired and not as happy. If it is a bright sunny day, the most people feel
motivated to get things done and joyful. Yes, this statement is believable because I have noticed that the weather, my surroundings, and even other
people's behaviors around me affect my mood. Today, for instance, it rained all day and the sky was dark, as a result I slept throughout the whole...show
more content...
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is depicted as an upstanding European who has been transformed by his time in the jungleâ being away from the society he
was used to that could have prevented him from becoming such a tyrant. I have experienced being in a situation where I was very different from
the people around me. It forced me to figure out their interests so I was able to join in on their conversations. By the end of the day, I no longer felt
alone. So that experience taught me that I am going to come across diversity in life, but I need to be open and accepting of it. If I had chosen to just
be shy, I wouldn't have learned this lesson. I didn't find myself being pulled toward base, cruel instincts as Kurtz, but I think that's because Kurtz had no
one to control him. If a person gains that much power, it may lead to the transformation that Kurtz experienced. âpg. 144 "But his soul was mad. Being
alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had gone mad."
4.Kurtz dying words are a cryptic whisper: "The horror, the horror". There could be more than one possibility of the "horror" Kurtz could have been
talking about. I think that it symbolizes the darkness of Kurtz's tyrant and savageâlike qualities that he gained when he lived with the natives. When he
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16. Heart Of Darkness
First and foremost, In "Heart of Darkness" the internal and external conflicts are intertwined with Marlow's trip into colonial Africa. Initially
seeking adventure, Marlow is looking forward to taking a journey up the Congo River to find Kurtz, a man who he initially looks up to. However,
during the trip, Marlow encounters many external conflicts that begin to change his internal beliefs. His journey is a difficult one and the external
conflicts Marlow sees are horrible. He sees a French ship shelling the bush country but there seem to be no humans in sight. He sees naked black
men dead and dying of disease. His boat is fired upon by supporters of Kurtz. Finally, when Marlow meets Kurtz, he finds a man who he can't look up
to. He sees and feels how low a...show more content...
He feels greatly out of place, disgusted by these things. It is through his eyes, then, that we can experience the terrible situation the Europeans have
created to strip the land for personal profit. The darkness no longer applies only to the shadowy jungle, but to the blackness of men's souls. This is a
land of mystery, and what is unknown is used to create the mood and influence the reader. With every terrible act Marlow witnesses, the reader is
more disgusted; we learn more about Kurtz and Marlowâthe setting provides the opportunity for characterization. Part of the suspense of the story rests
in the unknown dangers in the jungles. This also comes from the story's setting. All this prepares the reader for butchery, human sacrifice, and Kurtz's
complete moral degradationâthe same man who is worshiped by the natives as their chief...like a god. When Kurtz is found, he is completely mad and
physically illâchanged by what he has done and what he has seen. The setting affects the mood, the characterization and the plot development. The
setting allows for more realistic plot development, and as a result, more credible
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17. Heart of Darkness Essay
Heart of Darkness Darkness permeates every circumstance, scene, and character in Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness. Darkness symbolizes
the moral confusion that Charlie Marlow encounters, as well as the moral reconciliation he has within himself while searching for Kurtz. Marlow's
morals are challenged numerous times throughout the book; on the Congo river and when he returns to Brussels. Charlie Marlow characterizes the
behavior of the colonialists with, "The flabby, pretending, weakâeyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly," (25). Marlow distinguishes "the devil"
from violence, greed, and desire. He suggests that the basic evil of imperialism is not that it perpetrates violence against native peoples, or...show more
content...
However, he continuously interprets the actions in the world surrounding him. "Going up river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of
the world...prehistoric earth," (59) reflects the Europeans inclination to regard the natives as primitive. Marlow's notion of traveling back in time is
later reinforced by the arrows and spears that are used in the attack on his ship, "Sticks, little sticks, were flying about...Arrows by Jove, we were
being shot at," (79). Marlow is distraught by the natives he sees along the river bank, "...and the men wereââNo, they were not inhuman. Well, you
know, that was the worst of itâthis suspicion of their not being inhuman," (62). Marlow realizes though that the natives are no different from an
uneducated and ignorant European. This realization is significant to the personal development of Charlie Marlow and explains his treatment to the
natives later in the novella. Further insight to the relationship between Kurtz and the Russian trader is offered in section three. Although the Russian
trader is naĐĐve, he came to Africa in search of the same thing as Marlow; something experimental. They both aligned themselves with Kurtz. For
Marlow, Kurtz represented the choice of outright exploitation over the hypocritical justifications of cruelty. "'Nevertheless, I think Mr. Kurtz is a
remarkable man," (112) Marlow is willing to put aside the reality of Kurtz's cruel and selfish behavior, in order to satisfy the
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18. Heart Of Darkness Mood Essay
Heart of Darkness...What Does this really mean? Is it a mood you've been in since you were young that spond from your parents.Or is it something
that took many years of pain or is it something the was just in the moment . I personally feel that this story can relate to everyone no matter how
young or old. The feeling or mood, that something that one can relate too. The atmosphere helps determine what kind of mood the reader will have.
Most authors, use a painting or piece of literature will set the mood by using their atmosphere to enhance the theme of their creation. In Heart of
Darkness, Conrad tends to use mood and atmosphere to create a portrait called, the journey into the soul. The journey to the soul portrait is to find who
...show more content...
This relates to the readers by them being aware of their demeanor.The author hints that maybe perhaps there is a bit of Kurtz inside us as
humans.This must be something that relates to the theme and storyline as well as the characters play that role. Most of the characters in the novel
follow under general names such as, the manager, the helmsman etc. This is very interesting because why would Conrad use this approach. I think
possibly Conrad took that approach to express the feeling of lost identity.That proves that the journey to find self's inner identity is still intact today.
Finding one's self is a dangerous journey. I'm sure we all have plenty of distractions along the way that are categorized as temptation.These
temptations are wicked and can lead to dangerous suffering. Marlow "saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith, no fear,
yet struggling blindly with itself." Conrad Anyone who read Heart of Darkness can go back and take a look at the character Kurtz and relate
themselves to a moment in their life that might have fallen into the darkness also this proves that the journey to the soul is not a pleasant
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19. The Meaning Of Heart Of Darkness Essay
Nishi Natalia
AP Literature & Comp
The Meaning of Heart of Darkness Although, as a society, we discourage the process of not judging a book by its cover, we have all been guilty of
doing it at some point. The first item we look at when we pick up a new book is the title and the cover as a whole. These are two key components
when it comes to using our heuristics to decide if a book is worthwhile reading or not. With only two items to judge by, each has to hold significant
importance in order to draw a reader into reading the novel. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad represents a mysterious title to draw readers into
reading the novel, but hold a much more significant underlying meaning which represents many elements in the novel, while also symbolizing external
concepts in the overall plot. The title represents many important elements such as the character of Mr. Kurtz and others, to the setting of Africa in the
novel, and to the concept of the evil nature of imperialism outside of the novel. Through the title, Conrad has created significance for elements of the
novel creating a very large impact on readers of the book.
One way in which the title can be interpreted is to symbolize the interior of Africa called the Congo. The text considers the deep jungle of Africa as
the heart of darkness both for its untamed and hostile wilderness and for its supposed "savages" who hang out there practicing certain nonâEuropean
customs such as cannibalism. The major and significant
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