Collaborative with Jared Dube
1.Exposition: This novel takes grasp around Marlow, a
sailor, and his journey up the Congo River to meet Kurtz, whose reputation
tells him to be an unwavering man of supposed great abilities. Marlow takes a
job as a riverboat captain with the Company because of his aunt for a Belgian
concern organized to trade in the Congo. As Marlow travels to Africa and then
to the Congo he slowly loses the amenities of home and see’s the brutal nature
of the company stations. The native inhabitants of the region have been forced
into the Company’s service, and they suffer terribly from overwork and ill
treatment at the hands of the Company’s agents.
Rising actions: Marlow proceeds to the central station where
he meets the general manger who runs the station and finds him to be
unwholesome as a person. The steam boat has been sunk and because of an
accident a few days previous which Marlow thinks is because they don’t want him
to meet Kurtz. During the 7 months at the central station his curiosity of
Kurtz’s grows and he wants to meet this infamous person. The ship is soon fixed
after the parts arrive and Marlow proceeds with a group of men up river to
Kurtz location. They find the silence of the Congo to be eerie but continue on
until they come across a hut with stacked firewood, together with a note saying
that the wood is for them. Shortly after the steamer has taken on the firewood,
it is surrounded by a dense fog. When the fog clears, the ship is attacked by
an unseen band of natives, who fire arrows from the safety of the forest. The
African helmsman is killed before Marlow frightens the natives away with the
ship’s steam whistle. The group arrives at Kurtz station expecting to find him
dead but instead a half-crazed Russian trader, who meets them as they come ashore,
assures them that everything is fine and informs them that he is the one who
left the wood. The Russian claims that Kurtz has enlarged his mind and cannot
be subjected to the same moral judgments as normal people. Kurtz has
established himself as a god with the natives and has gone on brutal raids in
the surrounding territory in search of ivory. The collection of severed heads
decorating the fence posts around the station confirms to his “methods.” The natives
bring Kurtz out of the station-house on a stretcher, and a large group of
native warriors pours out of the forest and surrounds them. Kurtz speaks to
them, and the natives disappear into the woods. The manager brings Kurtz, who
is quite ill, aboard the steamer. The Russian reveals to Marlow, after swearing
him to secrecy, that Kurtz had ordered the attack on the steamer to make them
believe he was dead in order that they might turn back and leave him to his
plans of harvesting ivory. The Russian then leaves by canoe, fearing the
displeasure of the manager. Kurtz disappears in the night, and Marlow goes out
in search of him.
Climax: Marlow finds him crawling on all fours toward the
native camp. Marlow stops him and convinces him to return to the ship. They set
off down the river the next morning, but it seems as if Kurts isn’t going to
make it. Marlow listens to Kurtz talk while he pilots the ship, and Kurtz
entrusts Marlow with a packet of personal documents. The steamer breaks down,
and they have to stop for repairs. Kurtz dies, uttering his last words “The
horror! The horror!” which leave Marlow confused. Marlow falls ill soon after
and barely survives.
Falling Action: Eventually he returns to Europe and goes to
see Kurtz’s intended fiancé. She is still mourning even though it’s been a year
and she ask Marlow for his last words but instead of ruining the illusion she
has of her perfect Kurtz she tells her he called out her name.
Purpose: The main purpose of this novel appears to be the
fact that power and the Congo were the variables that converted Kurtz a man who
was a paragon of virtue and achievement into the embodiment of madness.
2. The theme of this novel is madness in that if you let
your virtues be challenged by power and it begins to run rampant that you
yourself will eventually be consumed like Kurtz was. Madness seems like it
can’t be prevented unless you have your humanity to keep it checked and
balanced but it also serve as a reminder that all human have this fallibility
within them.
3. The tone itself of the story was quite dark and cynical
from my perspective from quotes such as “We live as we dream--alone....” or “Your
strength is just an accident owed to the weakness of others.” And finally to
capitalize on this fact “It echoed loudly within him because he was hollow at
the core.”
4.
1)
Repetition-'The
horror! The horror!" (Page 69).
2)
Metaphor-"The
water shone pacifically . . .the very mist . . . was like a gauze and radiant
fabric" (page 46).
3)
Imagery-
“Imagine him here—the very end of the world, a sea the color of lead, a sky the
color of smoke, a kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina—and going up this
river with stores, or orders, or what you like” (page 11).
4)
Personification-"Flames
glided in the river" (Page 9).
5)
Diction-The
other explained…with the ivory.” (Page 45)
6)
Motif-"Often
far away there I thought of these two, guarding the door of Darkness, knitting
black wool as for a warm pall…”(Page 47)
7)
Simile-"Swept
and ungarnished staircase, as arid as a desert"(Page 14).
8)
Allusion-"Eldorado
Exploring Expedition"(Page 52)
9)
Onomatopoeia-“A
slight clinking behind me made me turn my head…” (Page 22)
10)
Symbolism-“The
offing was barred by a black bank of clouds...seemed to lead into the heart of
an immense darkness"(Page 113).
1. Direct
Characterization:
·
Indirect
Characterization:
·
"I
did not betray Mr. Kurtz--it was ordered I should never betray him--it was
written I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice. (Page 79)
·
"Never
see him! I saw him clearly then. I shall see this eloquent phantom as long as I
live, and I shall see her too…” (Page 93)
2.
Marlow the
3.
Marlow the protagonist in the Heart of Darkness can be seen as dynamic and
round character. The reason Marlow is a dynamic character is because at the
start of the story Marlow believe the world is a good place without very much
evil until the end when he realizes the world is actually dark. He moves on
believing this is just how world is and goes along with it by lying in the
final interview.
4.
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