Heart Of Darkness---Group Report
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As a group we had mixed reactions to this book. A few thought it was boring because they didn't understand the language. A few thought it was complicated and layered with meanings making it very interesting. Some thought it just rambled too much to really make any sense. A the last group thought it was a very good example of how to use symbols to change how people think. Most agreed the theme of this novel was that greed and power can turn an empty soul black. To stand up to the temptations of power a persons needs to be grounded. They really need to know who they are and what they want out of life. The book illustrated that the slippery slope of control gets out of control very quickly. As a group we answered the question: “Why does Marlow travel mostly on the river?” The ideas discussed were that the Congo represented a main vein into the heart of the dark continent. Marlow was traveling on this vein physically while emotionally, traveling into Kurtz's dark heart. Another thought was that the river kept him safe and separate from the interior of Africa and the dark interior of men's souls. On the few occasions he did step foot on land all he found was dead wasteland or the wasteland of Kurtz's soul. The following are the individual essays on Heart of Darkness. Austin: In the story “Heart of Darkness” the author interpreted light and dark in many different ways. Light usually represents good, warmth and salvation, while dark represents evil, death, and despair. I personally find these connections racist, but I also think that was Conrad's point. White people being 'light' were representing 'gods' to the 'ignorant' 'dark' natives. Being dark the natives were worth less to the white men than the cheapest of animals. It is strange because I think the case was just the opposite, without the natives, the white men would not have had the ivory they so craved. Conrad showed how the white men with their 'hearts of darkness' were cruel, greedy, disloyal and mean. The natives were often kind, simple, loyal and self-restrained. The cannibals for example went hungry instead of killing the men on the ship. Marlow saw this as truly remarkable. These men were able to kill, were hungry, and yet choose loyalty instead of personal comfort or nourishment. Throughout the whole book Conrad plays with the readers traditional understanding of light and dark. Cody: Darkness has many definitions. In the beginning darkness is just a reference to Africa itself. Darkness refers to the dark skinned people and the dark jungles. The author doesn't stick with those meanings very long. Soon we figure out it is the hearts of the white men that are the blackest part of this continent. Kurtz is the most extreme example. His heart becomes completely black because of greed and lust. Then at the very end of the book Marlow chooses to leave Kurtz's fiancée in the dark. Her darkness is one of not knowing the truth. Unless you read the whole book you will not notice how the definition of darkness changes. The way Conrad changes and uses the word 'darkness' is one of the book's huge driving ideas. It also gives us clues into his believes and morals. Travis: In this novel darkness represents many things. Darkness represents ignorance. The ignorance of the white people, the ignorance of the natives, and the final ignorance of Kurtz's fiancée. It also represents Africa. It refers to the people and the jungles. Darkness represents greed and evil desires. And finally, darkness represents death. The death of Kurtz, the death of the innocence of the natives and even the death of Marlow's idealism. Brandon B.: Kurtz's dying words were “The horror! The horror!” I believe they expressed his torment he felt at the enormity of his actions. I believe he was facing God and trying to explain his choices. This must have seemed like torture. He realized that the way he had been treating other human beings was horrible. Making the natives believe he was a god so they would fulfill his lust for more ivory was just one of the evil things he did. He also made people crawl on their bellies while in his presence. Having to explain this to God would be more than horrible. I believe the reason Marlow was the only one to hear the last words was because he was more emotionally connected to Kurtz than anyone else. People kept telling Marlow he was like Kurtz. Both were young men who were given high prestige jobs without working their way up through the company. The other men were very jealous and resented both Kurtz and Marlow because the men thought the jobs should have gone them. The words could also have been a stern warning to Marlow, to make sure he didn't end up the same way. Josh: “The horror, the horror!” were Kurtz's last words. I think he said them because he was reliving his last few years in Africa. He was facing the real God and having to explain why he pretended to be a god. Not a good god at that, but a vicious, greedy and lustful god that was only interested in power and wealth. Marlow was the only person to hear these words because they were meant to touch him. He understood Kurtz better than anyone else. He had been chasing Kurtz's shadow all the way into the interior of the continent. By hearing how tormented Kurtz was on his death bed, he could avoid falling into the same traps. The continent could not change him, the way it had Kurtz. Brandon H: Marlow lied to Kurtz's fiancée because she thought Kurtz was the greatest man to ever have lived. Marlow didn't want to hurt her by telling her the truth. She seemed to be a light in the darkness. As she spoke about Kurtz her forehead and blond hair seemed to be the only light in the room. Since she was thinking about Kurtz in a good way her forehead lit up, but her heart was dark because she did not know the truth of his heart. In reality Kurtz was no better than the next man and actually worse than many. He lied, cheated, and abused power just to get more ivory. Ivory was the main money in this book. It was also equated with power. Kurtz went so far as to convince the natives he was a god to get more ivory. Marlow didn't want to tell all this to the young girl so he left her in a state of innocence. He let her believe Kurtz was a hero, maybe even her god. Gabe: Marlow lied to Kurtz's fiancée so that she would not be hurt by his true memory. She was oblivious to the facts that Kurtz abused his power and position. She had only the best of thoughts about him. Marlow was faced with two choices. He could tell the truth and put Kurtz's fiancée into a deeper depression. She would probably lose all grip on reality. Or he could lie to her and let her live in a functioning fantasy world. Either way she was going to be a lost soul. Marlow choose to lie because of the light illuminating her forehead as she spoke about Kurtz. The room darkened, making her seem even more innocent and about to be swallowed up. In Marlow's loyalty to Kurtz, Marlow could not see shattering her hero worship of her intended. We would only recommend this book if you easily follow stories that bounce around in time and place. It is not for those who like straight forward stories with easy plots. The reader has to work hard to follow the story and stay interested. |
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