Introducing Heart of Introducing Heart of DarknessDarkness

Quickwrite: take a few minutes Quickwrite: take a few minutes to ponder the following to ponder the following

questionsquestions

What restraints prevent What restraints prevent man from yielding to his man from yielding to his dark compulsions?dark compulsions?

How is man changed by his How is man changed by his journey?journey?

YouYouMarlow and KurtzMarlow and Kurtz

Content and Stylistic Content and Stylistic Elements Elements

Frame StoryFrame Story What’s the premise?What’s the premise? From the intro, “It’s about our capacity for idealism, From the intro, “It’s about our capacity for idealism,

as well as our capacity for deterioration; our desire as well as our capacity for deterioration; our desire for brotherhood and our propensity to solitary for brotherhood and our propensity to solitary crime…Marlow’s journey up the Congo is a journey crime…Marlow’s journey up the Congo is a journey into the heart of man’s darkness”into the heart of man’s darkness”

Though few pages, it’s at time uncomfortably Though few pages, it’s at time uncomfortably “wordy…At times it seems Conrad and Marlow seem “wordy…At times it seems Conrad and Marlow seem to want to erect a screen of words between to want to erect a screen of words between themselves and the horror of a half-remembered themselves and the horror of a half-remembered experience…”experience…”

Content and Stylistic Content and Stylistic ElementsElements

“…“…it’s about personal strength and integrity it’s about personal strength and integrity and a psychological study” in which “our best and a psychological study” in which “our best chance for survival, moral survival, lies in chance for survival, moral survival, lies in frankly recognizing the infinite capacity for frankly recognizing the infinite capacity for reversion and crime that slumber in all our reversion and crime that slumber in all our unconscious minds.”unconscious minds.”

No chapters, only sections and long narrations. No chapters, only sections and long narrations. Lots of subtext, but not so much as Austen Lots of subtext, but not so much as Austen

Look at mood, tone, SETTING, symbolism, Look at mood, tone, SETTING, symbolism, and imageryand imagery

Historical ContextHistorical Context

This was written around 1890, and it’s a semi-This was written around 1890, and it’s a semi-autobiographical account of Joseph Conrad’s autobiographical account of Joseph Conrad’s own travels up the Congo and his hiking own travels up the Congo and his hiking through the jungles of Kinshasa. What he and through the jungles of Kinshasa. What he and his narrator Marlow saw reveals much.his narrator Marlow saw reveals much.

Both Conrad and Marlow reveal the Both Conrad and Marlow reveal the unconscious prejudices of their times, so unconscious prejudices of their times, so examine Marlow’s attitude towards the examine Marlow’s attitude towards the Africans closely. Africans closely.

Age of Imperialism. “White Man’s Burden”Age of Imperialism. “White Man’s Burden”

It’s all about the journeyIt’s all about the journey

Marlow has returned from his (archetypal) Marlow has returned from his (archetypal) journey, so this implies that…?journey, so this implies that…?

He has changed. He has changed. Therefore, as you read listen for the two voices Therefore, as you read listen for the two voices

of the narrator: of the narrator: the naïve one who hasn’t yet faced the the naïve one who hasn’t yet faced the

darknessdarkness The one who speaks with undertones of The one who speaks with undertones of

knowledge and hindsightknowledge and hindsight

Homework Focus Question:Homework Focus Question:

This is due on the day the reading over Part I This is due on the day the reading over Part I is due, which is __________is due, which is __________

Make a list of 5-7 purposes the opening scene Make a list of 5-7 purposes the opening scene serves with regards to mood, characterization, serves with regards to mood, characterization, setting, tone, theme(s)/ideas establishedsetting, tone, theme(s)/ideas established

So, start on the first page and continue through So, start on the first page and continue through the beginning of Marlow’s narration, until you the beginning of Marlow’s narration, until you get to where he “breaks off” speaking. It’s get to where he “breaks off” speaking. It’s about 4 pages’ worthabout 4 pages’ worth, before, before the flashback. the flashback.

Early Modernism & Early Modernism & Impressionistic WritingImpressionistic Writing