Discussion of Heart of Darkness
- Scott
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Discussion of Heart of Darkness
What do you think of the book? I enjoyed reading it. It's shorter than I had realized.
What do you think of the story-within-a-story style? I found it interesting. By using the character Marlow to narrate the story, the story is narrated as if a person is actually recounting the story, which makes it feel more realistic and emotional. In other words, while reading the story, it felt as though someone was actually trying to recount events that had happened to himself.
What do you think of Kurtz? I enjoyed that a major part of the story is the build-up to the narrator, Marlow, meeting Kurtz. Kurtz had basically turned into a tyrant, wouldn't you say so? But I feel that we, the readers, are also made to admire Kurtz somewhat. Also, I feel sympathy for him not only when he cries about, "The Horror! The Horror!" but also when we learn that about his many talents and that he could have been a populist politician. What do you think?
I see the story as showing both the brutality of civilization and of primitivism. I suppose that is shown when Marlow refers to civilization as a lie. Also, we see the barbaric way that the Europeans exploit the natives. What do you think? What do you think the story says about human nature and the nature of human civilization?
If you have any questions that you want to ask the other readers, please post them. Also, please post any quotes or passages from the book that you especially like.
Thanks,
Scott
"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
- knightss
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Just a thought =)
more on the book to come when i have some time.
- deasy
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I do like the inner and outer frame narration as I've never read a book like that before. The story was so stuck on Marlow that you at times, you forget we're getting the story from someone else.
It's interesting what you said about Kurtz representing England itself, Knightss. It would make sense that he did.
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This novel exposes the myth behind colonisation whilst exploring the three levels of darkness that the protagonist, Marlow, encounters--the darkness of the Congo wilderness, the darkness of the European's cruel treatment of the natives, and the unfathomable darkness within every human being for committing heinous acts of evil.
- Fran
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A world is born again that never dies.
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- Fran
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