Please consider the following questions about
Heart of Darkness.
- Choose ONE question and provide a thoughtful reply (include the question number in your response).
- Reply to a fellow student with thoughtful response.
- Worth 20 points, due 10/29 11:59pm
- Explain why Marlow describes the choice between loyalty to Kurtz or the manager as "a choice of nightmares," and why Marlow chooses Kurtz who is outwardly the more evil of the two.
- What does Kurtz mean by "The horror! The horror!"
- How is Kurtz a "hollow man"?
- What is the "heart of darkness"?
- Discuss Conrad's use of narrative parallels including the Roman and Belgian invasions, the mistress and the intended, and Kurtz and Marlow.
- Discuss Conrad's use of "impressionistic" techniques such as purposely obscuring details and the use of light and dark imagery and symbolism to achieve a more profound sense of truth. (Impressionism is a theory or style of painting that developed in France during the 1870's, characterized chiefly by concentration on the general impression produced by a scene or object and by the use of unmixed primary colors and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light. As a literary style, impressionism is characterized by the use of details and mental associations to evoke subjective and sensory impressions rather than recreate objective reality.)
- "Every soul has its dark and light truth-potential for degradation or nobility. The strongest barrier to this degradation is a previous commitment to faith and responsibility." Discuss this quote as Conrad uses it and as it applies to our world.
What is the "heart of darkness"?
ReplyDeleteWhile interpretations could easily vary on the meaning behind the "heart of darkness", I think it is in fact straightforward. The darkness being the evil of imperializing of Africa and Marlow is in the heart, or center, of that evil. It has a hard meaning though. Conrad never specifically says that imperialization itself is evil, but the choice between hypocrisy and malicious intent is evil. The lesson Conrad is trying to convey with his title, is not that there is light in the heart of darkness, but quite the opposite. Conrad is saying that if you are in the heart of darkness, there is no change of being "good", there is only the chance to find the least amount of evil and clinging to it.
Very true, I think that the "heart of darkness" in this story has many different sides; it is the imperializing of Africa, and maybe even the uncivilized jungle itself that "whispers" and entices Europeans into its wildness.
DeleteThis is very true Bailey! I honestly believe that the "heart of darkness", refers not only to a physical location of Africa, but also to a state of mind and the grim consequences of imperialism
DeleteHow is Kurtz a "hollow man"?
ReplyDeleteThe poem "The Hollow Men" begins with a line alluding to Kurtz, thus drawing a connection between hollow men and Kurtz. Furthermore, Conrad writes that Kurtz is "hollow at the core". Kurtz is living an empty and meaningless life in the jungle. People regard Kurtz as a genius, he has followers and even Marlow is dying to meet him. However, upon meeting him, Marlow realizes just how hollow he really is. The jungle had ruined him, it forced him to look into himself and see the emptiness inside of him. He has cousins and brothers and fiance who all regard him as talented in different ways, yet he is living alone in the jungle with ivory and evil. Marlow sees the man in a different way, as hollow and a sort of false idol.
i really enjoyed reading this response and how you correlated the Hallow Men with Kurtz. He was a hollow man and being alone in the wilderness completely ruined him turned him into the very monsters that are found lurking within a forest.
DeleteI agree with you. The way you related the poem to Kurtz was both well-written and easy to understand. Your description of Kurtz and how the jungle affected him was spot on. I liked your response.
DeleteGood job Elisabeth Cris! I too agree with you. The way you described Kurtz and his experience while being in the jungle was easy to understand and very well described.
DeleteExplain why Marlow describes the choice between loyalty to Kurtz or the manager as "a choice of nightmares," and why Marlow chooses Kurtz who is outwardly the more evil of the two.
ReplyDeleteBoth Kurtz and the manager are corrupt and are each working with for the same company; Marlow recognizes this and therefore relates them both to "nightmares". But why then would he give his devotion to Kurtz, unarguably the worse of the two men? I think the answer lies in the subconscious connection between Marlow and Kurtz; numerous persons in the story (such as the Russian) depict Kurtz as being a man of amazing ability and wonder, but also deeply conflicted. As the story goes on Marlow has a similar experience upon being around the man - showing that there is something bout Kurtz and his level of depravity that fosters a unconscious response from the people around him, a response that draws them in and makes them on some levels into his equals.
Emma~
DeleteI completely agree with your response. Marlow's decision is to choose between two evils. Kurtz has deceived so many people with his cunning abilities and has unfortunately lured Marlow into following after his ways. The characters may also feel empathy for Kurtz in his depravity and therefore verge on his side.
Great Job!
I agree with and really like your response! It is easy to follow and would be easily understood by someone who was initially confused. I agree with your statement that Marlow chose Kurtz because of the greatness that other people described of him.
Delete2. What does Kurtz mean by "The horror! The horror!"
ReplyDelete"The Horror! The Horror", is a quote that is hard to understand. The closest guess to what Kurtz means, might be all the things he witnessed. For example, the oppression of Africa, the evil within the heart of humans, his own crumbling sanity, the illusion of hope and understanding. In many ways, Marlow's lie to Kurtz's intended at the end of the novella is Marlow rejection of complete acceptance of Kurtz's worldview. Marlow refuses to believe that things are as bad as Kurtz believes them to be and his lie is a way to suppress those beliefs. His lie also protects Kurtz's fiance from knowing of the evil and terror that possessed him in his final days.
I think that, as well as what you said, the "horror" he is referring to could also be two more things. One of which, while highly unlikely, could be a dying man's reflection on his life as seeing that what he added was not value or talents, but a horrific and utterly disgusting treatment of human beings. Another reason for the sentiment could also have been the horror of dying alone in a place that he was feared instead of in the arms of the ones who loved him. Or yet a third, the horror of facing his maker.
DeleteI never thought of it that way. I usually thought that what he said meant he was not merely looking at the emptiness inside him, but the emptiness was was his very life, and was about to follow him to the grave. You are very correct in saying this is a line that is hard to grasp.
DeleteI agree with you. Thinking of all the bad things out in the world and living in them after you had been oblivious to them for so long can drive someone to madness.
DeleteWhat is the "heart of darkness"?
ReplyDeleteHeart of Darkness is not just a story title it actually has a meaning behind it. The "darkness" depicted clearly refers to the "darkest" side of human nature as seen in the brutal colonists and ivory traders illustrated in Heart of Darkness. Darkness is referred to multiple times throughout the story when describing something grim or unpleasant. I believe it represents the human tyranny, injustice, and brutality that took place on the voyages for ivory. The pain and suffering was immense and during those days if you were a black person then your life is bleak and dark while working in the hands of the white man. With greed and corruption everywhere the author was saying that each and every one of us are capable of having a “heat of darkness.”
I think that it was not only this, but the book draws an interesting parallel when it refers to both the Congo and the Thames as "leading into a heart of darkness". It implies that both places contain the same darkness, but it is only magnified when looked at in a different place.
Deleteleading to the "heart of darkness" such as the Jungle?
Delete3. How is Kurtz a "hollow man"?
ReplyDeleteAs referenced in T.S. Eliot's Hollow Men, Kurtz is renamed as the hollow man as he was by Conrad in the H.O.D, "hollow to the core." At the beginning of the novella, Conrad begins to illustrate Kurtz, through the eyes of Marlow, as a heroic figure. Marlow seeks Kurtz with a sense of urgency, only to be disappointed and confused in the meeting of this 'legend'. Kurtz has lived a life full of darkness; he is only concerned with the lusts of this world and elevating his own reputation. Marlow soon begins to realize the emptiness that this 'self focus' can bring to a life and it causes him to examine within himself. As the story concludes, the author reveals the desperation and outcome of an empty, self-consumed lifestyle.
I really like your explanation! The Kurtz that filled Marlow with awe and anticipation turned out to just be a puffed up man. You bring up an interesting (and true) point that self-focus leads to emptiness. So, in a way Kurtz did teach Marlow an important lesson: egocentrism leads to an empty life. Although Marlow misses out on the Kurtz that he expected, he comes to learn a very important lesson through him.
Delete7. "Every soul has its dark and light truth-potential for degradation or nobility. The strongest barrier to this degradation is a previous commitment to faith and responsibility." Discuss this quote as Conrad uses it and as it applies to our world.
ReplyDeleteWhen Conrad wrote this, no doubt he was thinking about all the horrible things people in the world had done, and how a "heart of darkness" really does exist within all of us. It can come to us through jealousy, spitefulness, and hatred for other humans. Even a seemingly good person can have a dark streak if someone they don't particularly like enters their life. Conrad is saying that every person has the potential to be evil and horrible regardless of whether or not they are a self-proclaimed good person. He also says, however, that this potential for darkness can be stopped by a "previous commitment to faith and responsibility", meaning that if someone dedicates their life to a god or even another person, their immense caring for this person or being could stop them from making rash decisions if they are ever overcome with hatred. People who care about other people are less likely to have a strong "heart of darkness".
Wow your answer was so good! I agree with what you have to say. People all have inner evil but that potential 'darkness' can/will be stopped when someone cares deeply about a person,thing, or god. I really liked your last sentence- "people who care about other people are less likely to have a strong "heart of darkness" (ya, I can see that sentence being on a poster in a classroom or something haha)
DeleteI agree with Sarah that your awnser was really good. I think you pointed out exactly what Conrad was trying to say about good and evil. You pointed out that caring about others helps people stay grounded, which is a really insightful statement.
Delete1. Explain why Marlow describes the choice between loyalty to Kurtz or the manager as "a choice of nightmares," and why Marlow chooses Kurtz who is outwardly the more evil of the two.
ReplyDeleteAnswer: I believe that Marlow chose what he thought was the lesser of the two evils. I think his decision was two-fold. Choose the company, which is hypocritical and is filled with paradoxical stupidity (man with the holy bucket), or choose Kurtz, who kids no one about his intentions, and is often hailed as a charismatic genius (and talented painter, and gifted musician, etc.). Because Marlow likes to associate himself with the positive ideals of Europe, while not being subjected with their imperialistic behavior.
Messed up at the end. I meant: Because Marlow likes to associate himself with the positive ideals of Europe while not being subjected with their imperialistic behavior, it is easy to tell why he had sided with kurtz in the beginning.
DeleteI agree with your answer. You bring up a good point in how Marlow wants to be associated with positive aspects.
Delete2. What does Kurtz mean by, "The horror! The horror!" ?
ReplyDeleteThese last words can be taken many ways. People may have different opinions in what Kurtz meant by this saying.
One way you can take this is as Kurtz was upset he did not get to live life anymore and his dying was making him frustrated and horrified. He might have been upset that he did not get to accomplish great plans that he might have had.Another way you could take this saying is as a comment of what Kurtz has witnessed around him. For example, the enterprise in Africa, the evil within the hearts of people, his insanity, and hope. Either way you look at this, you can feel the 'horror' as Kurtz dies. Marlow hid this 'horror' from his fiancee by telling her, later in the story, his last words were her name.
I am not sure which way i take this quote. I think, in my opinion, Kurtz was exclaiming about a little of both scenarios as he was saying his last words.
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ReplyDelete4. What is the "heart of darkness"?
ReplyDeleteEnter into Marlow's world. He comes from London, a civilized and industrialized place. Now from here, he travels to Africa, a place where century-old customs reign and people are ignorant of the outside world. When Marlow travels deep into the "heart of darkness," he calls this place a "prehistoric earth" (Ch. 2, Pg. 62). When he sees the natives along the shore, he calls them "prehistoric man" (Ch. 2, Pg. 62). The difference between these people and the Europeans is their location. For the Europeans, they come from civilization; but, for the Africans, they come from a place of "darkness." When Marlow reaches Kurtz's station, the epitome of "darkness," he finds the natives ignorantly obeying Kurtz (Ch. 3). It is the ignorance of Kurtz's followers that makes this place dark.
After traveling back to London, Marlow finds it to be dark as well. He calls the people, "Intruders whose knowledge of life was to me an irritating pretense, because I felt so sure they could not possibly know the things I knew," (Ch. 3, Pg. 114). Marlow has a problem with these people, just like he did with the natives in Africa. The problem is ignorance. London is a dark place, but it is not the "heart of darkness." The "heart of darkness" is the place where ignorance rules, the place where Kurtz rules. This is a place where people fail to realize how their leader, Kurtz, is corrupt and disregards human life. When ignorance abounds, so does darkness; but, the "heart of darkness" is the place where ignorance is ignored.
I really liked your answer. It made me think of the meaning of "the heart of darkness" a whole different way. I agree with you that it is the ignorance of kurtz's followers that make the place dark. I also liked how you talked about Marlow's main problem really was ignorance- ignorance to the natives in Africa, ignorance to the people in London, and ignorance to the darkness.
Delete4. What is the "heart of darkness"?
ReplyDeleteDarkness is important enough in this story to be part of the title. What does it really mean though, when everything is cloaked in darkness. Africa, England, and Brussels are all described to be dark and gloomy in some way. With this fact darkness is working metaphorically. Darkness is the inability to see and this seems to simple at first but if you think about it a little deeper it might mean that you can't see someone. If you can't see someone you can't understand them and if you can't understand them you fail to be able to establish a sympathetic communion with them. I n other words you fail to be able to see their heart, feelings, emotions, etc.
I like this! i like your definition of darkness and how you applied it to things in the book. I think that darkness in the book applies to the evil within the people too. it could also apply to the Jungle, which could have caused the evil happening in the people.
DeleteWhat does Kurtz mean by "The horror! The horror!"?
ReplyDeleteThese last words uttered by Kurtz while he is dying are said to mean many things. Personally, I think he says them in meaning of his life. He led a evil life and was very selfish. In the end he didn't even get to spend or enjoy the money he had been trying to make. Some of it could have been regret for how his life ended and what he did with his life. It could have meant the horror of the atmosphere (the jungle) or "heart of darkness" and how it changed his life for the worse. I think Kurtz actions were not right but in the end the reason he says "The horror! The horror!" is regret for what he did. He sees how the wild jungle (heart of darkness) had changed him.
3. How is Kurtz a "hollow man"?
ReplyDeleteKurtz is a "hollow man" because like the Hollow men described by T.S. Elliot, Kurtz is a very empty person. Kurtz is described by different people as a million different things, and we are never given a conclusive look into who Kurtz really is, he is left very much in the shadows. His only two illuminated traits are. Like the hollow men, Kurtz has no true identity, he isn't a real complex person, he's just a series of projections, like the hollow men, Kurtz lives a sort of half life, not truly being here nor there.
I like your analysis and I agree completely! He is guessed to be so many things because he is truly none of them, he is an empty, hollow man. You are right, he has no true identity which causes him to be empty inside.
DeleteYes, people just assume they know exactly who Kurtz is after seeing one side of his projections. I wonder what happened to the real Kurtz, though. I doubt he'd been like this, as a hollow man. Perhaps upbringing has forced him to give up himself and to apply different false identities.
DeleteWhat is the meaning of Kurtz last words "The horror! The horror!"?
ReplyDeleteI think the reason these words have been made so famous throughout time is that they have no definite meaning and are left up to interpretation. However a common legitimate analysis is concluded from these words when we look at the life of Kurtz. Africa was a corrupt land at the time and pain was happening everwhere. Kurt himself was aware of this. Perhaps Kurt thought that things might change, but when his life came to an end he cried out "the horror! the horror!", giving up all hope for humanity and crying out that all is lost.
Explain why Marlow describes the choice between loyalty to Kurtz or the manager as "a choice of nightmares," and why Marlow chooses Kurtz who is outwardly the more evil of the two.
ReplyDeleteMarlow finds every ivory trader he'd met from the Company lazy. They're not ambitious; they're just waiting for opportunity to fall in his lap. The manager is one too. Kurtz, on the other hand, from what he's seen and heard, is charismatic, tenacious, ambitious. He speaks his ideals, his dreams so strongly, no matter how twisted. He does not wait for opportunity; he makes it himself. He is a complex man, of multiple faces that Marlow wonders where the real one is, rather than the simple, one-faceted manager. He leaves an impression on Marlow, strong and unforgettable upon his dying moments with his larger-than-life plans and charisma.