Introductory Paragraph

Conrad's Heart of Darkness proves how societal standards and norms shelter the ones who live in it. From Marlow's journey to meet and save the idealized Kurtz to his slow transformation to using his subconscious both reveal the effects that the untamed Congo has on him. Conrad utilizes symbols such as the river to represent Marlow's upward struggle to reach Kurtz and to inevitably find his own personal heart of darkness. The significance of Marlow's intense curiosity towards the Congo, and further Kurtz, is that he deeply desires the darkness since he does not ever experience that side of life in his uptight society in Brussles, Belgium; thus critics such as Frederick Karl aid in uncovering Marlow's twisted and disconnected journey towards his true heart of darkness.

Heart of Darkness Worksheet Blog

Although Marlow's society in Brussles sets a standard of living and way of life for its citizens, his strenuous trip to the Congo has altered his perception of what is important in life. Having just arrived from a place where there are no rules, law, or police to regulate behavior, Marlow's return to his organized life style comes as a shock to him. He finds everything to be pointless and purposeless. Everything he once knew has now been tainted by his traumatic experiences in the untamed jungle and he will, therefore, never appreciate or respect the way of life that our society has established.

Essay Idea

My essay idea for Heart of Darkness deals with Marlow's psychological journey into his subconscious. I plan to utilize symbols such as the river and the jungle to further reveal his hypnosis and ultimate obsession of Kurtz. Like Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby who puts Gatsby on a pedestal, Marlow also idealizes Kurtz to the point where he sees no flaws or mistakes made by Kurtz. I want to use all of these aspects of Conrad's Heart of Darkness to fully capture Marlow's inability to control his subconscious when put into such a foreign, chaotic, and wild land.

Marlow's Psychological Journey

Although Marlow is physically taking a journey through the Congo to reach its hear of darkness, his mind and unconscious are undergoing much more than his physical being. As he gets closer to the heart of darkness, Marlow's thought process and ability to complete his assignment are put in jeopardy. His choppy and lengthy sentences show how the jungle and untamed society is affecting his unconscious, so he is therefore experiencing more of a psychological journey than a physical journey. If the opportunity were presented to me, I would probably go on this journey because of its adventure and mystery.

"A woman, draped and blindfolded, carrying a lighted torch"

Marlow's description of Kurtz's painting reveals its somewhat odd character. The woman in the painting is holding a torch-light as a sign of hope and a promising future, yet she is blindfolded and completely unaware of her surroundings. This is obviously ironic and shows the repetitive injustice that is present in Africa at that time. Her blindness as well as the somber and black background of the painting create an ominous feel about the meaning of the illustration. Lastly, the painting is a bit discouraging because it portrays the land as unchartered and unfamiliar; nobody has ever seen or been through this land, and that is why it is such an ominous-looking painting. I think that Marlow would agree with the painting's meaning because he is well aware of the fact that many have not made it this far and that what lies ahead truly is, indeed, darkness.

Heart of Darkness, Question # 2

Marlow describes London in "very old times, when the Romans first came here" to compare the mysteries and potential discoveries that are also left to be found in Africa. He is claiming that England, too, used to be a disgusting, dirty, and poor place, but with Roman's power, it became a beautiful and organized place to live. Marlow keeps his views optimistic by convincing himself and the reader that maybe there is some good that is undiscovered in Africa. He believes that in the heart of darkness, there is also a potential good and beauty.