The Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

[Zane]

A crewman on the Thames in England recalls his time as a boat skipper in Congo during the time of colonialism. His journey upstream into the 'heart of darkness', the unknow land of Africa and also prardoxically, the heart of man.

Its not long, 100 pages and is very interesting with the use of symbolism and does suggest the idea of Mans (sic) inherent sinfullness. That when the boundaries of society, and laws are stripped away, there is nothing left holding humans to what is right, moral and ethical.

Like John 8:44 says; " You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do..."

I recommend it, and it is a good read.

[bigsleepj]

[quote="Zane"]A crewman on the Thames in England recalls his time as a boat skipper in Congo during the time of colonialism. His journey upstream into the 'heart of darkness', the unknow land of Africa and also prardoxically, the heart of man.

Its not long, 100 pages and is very interesting with the use of symbolism and does suggest the idea of Mans (sic) inherent sinfullness. That when the boundaries of society, and laws are stripped away, there is nothing left holding humans to what is right, moral and ethical.

Like John 8:44 says]

I've read it a few years ago. Very interesting. Should maybe read it again. It is not an easy read since it has a rather unique style, but it's good. But I took a while to understand what Conrad was getting at and today I'm still not sure (hence, the reason why I should re-read it). I think that if it has a message, it would be that it would be that all men, civilized or barbaric, have a capacity for good and evil. Kurtz was affected by the primal forrests of Africa around him and began to indulge in his darker, more insane sensibilities. Marlowe, the teller of the story, is also affected by the darkness, but doesn't turn away from being a good person, but still is fascinated by the dark side he had seen in Kurtz. I think. As I said, I might have to read it again.

Have you seen Francis Ford Copolla's "Apocalypse Now!"? It's a Vietnam war-movie inspired by "Heart of Darkness" but is also something else in its own rights. It is also a downright disturbing movie, but a unique film experience. Also quite disturbing as well.

There are two versions of the movie: "Apocalypse Now!" and "Apocalypse Now!: Rudux". The original is the best and most mysterious and mythical version; it concentrates on the surreal mythical tales of the Vietnam war, but the Redux is more realistic and has more of the Vietnam's war's strange happenings in it. But it also have a lot of naked women in it and an opium scene, so its more perverse than the original to boot.

[Zane]

Yeah thats it bigsleepj. I just didn't want to ruin it for those who havn't read it
But considering only us two have read it, yeah what you said was correct, Marlow was right at the edge of going were Kurtz went (ie barbaric) but turned away. The question which remains is when Kurtz is about to die and say "The Horror, the horror..." Was that because he, being an enlightend Brit, was able to realize what he had done, and came out of that 'black hole in the soul of man' to realization of his own brutality, or something completley different.

And yeah i havn't seen Apocalypse Now, but its the same idea of a civilized man having the resitictions of society lifted off his shoulders and going nuts. And Charlie Sheen going in to see whats up. Its an interesting idea really. The greatest truth though which this tale tells is of mans sinful nature. ! think you'd agree.

[shooraijin]

Don't forget some of us lurkers have read it too.

[Jaltus-bot]

I read it in...early high school? a few years back. It was a good book. I think I still have it somewhere.

[Ingemar]

Ugh, I'll have to dissent here. While I agree with the book's main point, I couldn't force myself to read it again. The whole "stream of conciousness" thing made my brain and stomach turn.

As for Apocalypse Now!... I'll just quote someone else's review. "Unreadable book turned into unwatchable movie."

Reading Heart of Darkness again: The Horror, the horror!

[Zane]

Ugh, I'll have to dissent here. While I agree with the book's main point, I couldn't force myself to read it again. The whole "stream of conciousness" thing made my brain and stomach turn.

As for Apocalypse Now!... I'll just quote someone else's review. "Unreadable book turned into unwatchable movie."

Reading Heart of Darkness again: The Horror, the horror!

, I thought the stream of thought wasn't as bad as some books have it... ie James Joyce, Ulyssus, now thats wack. Oh but then again... its a sailor listening to Marlow tell the story in 1st person, so its like 2 first persons together,... fair enough I guess.

[bigsleepj]

:lol:, I thought the stream of thought wasn't as bad as some books have it... ie James Joyce, Ulyssus, now thats wack. Oh but then again... its a sailor listening to Marlow tell the story in 1st person, so its like 2 first persons together,... fair enough I guess.

I have to say "Stream of Consciousness" is something to get used to and isn't for all tastes. It's not my favourite type of narrative, however if I write in the first person I usually end up writing it in that style. Still if you write psychological stories its a good way to write it. What I've always liked about Joseph Conrad is the way he writes adventures tales that are also deep, literate excursions instead of just a "penny dreadful."

And now, something a bit off subject.

If you want to try a brilliant "stream of consciousness" trip into a different "heart of darkness" try "To the white Sea" by James Dicky if you have a strong stomach, that is. Actually, in my list of "greatest books ever written" "To the white sea" gets a dishonarable mention, because the books only attraction for me is from a literary point of view; its a masterpiece of modern fiction with imagery, scenes and discriptions that stayed with me all the way. It's also one of the best written books I've ever encountered and is an interesting literary experience.

On the other hand the tale itself is sadistic, machoistic, perverse, sick, bloody, disgusting, violent and just plain immoral, which is why I don't give it a definite recommendation. James Dicky wrote the book and movie "Deliverance" and if you've seen that you'll know about half of what to expect. The story is intriguing though. A gunman during World War 2 is shot down over Tokyo as the war begins to draw to a close. He is left with only his survival kit, a silk map of Japan and his survival instincts that he gathered during his youth growing up in the northern wilderness of Alaska. Slowly Muldrow makes his way across Japan towards the northern islands where he could live out the rest of his life in the snowy wastes. Along the way he leaves a trail of destruction behind him because he has no empathy or love and pretty much kills everyone he crosses paths. At one point he knives an old Japanese lady, cuts her head off with a breadknife and throws it onto a waterwheel. Then Muldrow kills an old gardner, steals a swan and eats it raw. Then Muldrow comes across an old samurai, who is almost too much for him, and kills him and his cowering wife in cold blood. And so forth. You get the picture. This book has no humanity in it so I wouldn't bother reading it except for examining it's writing style. But compared to this, "Heart of Darkness" is "My Neighbour Totoro".

[Zane]

Gee, that sounds like a pretty cool survival storyline and all, but all that violence...um.. no thanks...

[bigsleepj]

Gee, that sounds like a pretty cool survival storyline and all, but all that violence...um.. no thanks...

Well, at least the writing was good. Still it could have been less heartless.