1. The exposition of The Heart of Darkness occurs on the first two pages when the author introduces Marlow sitting calmly on a boat in the London Sea. The Rising Action occurs quite a bit later when while in Africa Marlow overhears people on the ship discussing how the Europeans are breaking down mentally. The climax occurs when Marlow discovers that Kurtz has completely abandoned European morals and norms of behavior. As Marlow and the reader begin to form a picture of Kurtz, it becomes apparent that his madness is only relative, and often hard to define. The Falling Action takes places after Marlow runs into Kurtz so ill in the Congo that he dies. Because Marlow had such a close bond with Kurtz he becomes obsessed with him after death. Finally, the denouement takes place when Marlow tells Kurtz widow about his passing and the knowledge of the evil and manses that was left with Kurt'z presence. Joseph Conrad wrote The Heart of Darkness in order to expose the immoral operations happening all the time in our world. He wanted to expose the ugliness on the planet and that's exactly what his narrative does. Conrad presented an alarming but truthful story that reflected what he saw in society and that divulged the darkness that we hold in our hearts.
2. Two themes that can be taken from The Heart of Darkness are 'Madness as a Result of Imperialism' and 'The Absurdity of Evil'. Madness is closely linked to Imperialism throughout this book by using Kurtz' character as an example of this madness. Throughout the novel, no matter where Marlow goes, he is either faced with the evil in the government or the evil in his good friend Kurtz.
3. "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the takin it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." "The man is capable of anything." "Like a running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightening in the clouds. We live in the flicker." All three of these excerpts display a common tone. Joseph Conrad, although hostile, also displayed a time of great curiosity and faith as well.
4. 1) Imagery- "The sun set; the dusk fell on the stream, and the lights fell on the stream."
2) Personification- "Flames glided in river."
3) Simile- "Swept and ungarnished staircase, as arid as a desert."
4) Symbolism- "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds...seemed to lead into a heart of an immense darkness."
5) Allusion- "The snake had charmed me."
6) Diction- "The other explained...with the ivory."
7) Allegory- "Into the heart of darkness."
8) Narrative Style Writing- Author talks as if he's speaking to another person, not just telling a story.
Characterization
1. Direct Characterization: the narrator is the one that describes Marlow and his manners as he is telling the story and Marlow describes the people that he meets during the journey. Marlow uses direct characterization so that the readers can capture the moment and picture the characters in their minds. One powerful example in the book was when he described the field workers.
Indirect Characterization: I found if interesting that only the Europeans had dialogue, but in the long run, this just ended up adding to the book. The author views the Africans as unequal to the Europeans, therefor they did not receive a voice throughout the book. By doing this, the author also gave the Africans a "savage" portrayal.
2. "He looked like a harlequin. His clothes had been made of some stuff that was brown holland probably, but it was covered in patches all over, with bright patches, blue, red, and yellow- patches on the front, patches on the back, patches on the elbows, on knees; colored binding around his jacket, scarlet edging at the bottom of his trousers; and the sunshine made him look extremely gay and wonderfully neat withal, because you could see how beautifully all of this patching had been done." They authors syntax and diction change when describing a person because he tends to use more colorful and creative words to paint a picture of the character he's describing. He uses colors to add emphasis on certain characteristics such as the patches.
3. Darkness is hugely important in the transformation of Marlow. He goes to Africa and comes out a different, changed man. I believe he does not get trapped in the darkness like Kurtz does but he does witness it. People can't go into something like that and come out indifferent and unchanged, and that is the point that the author is trying to make. The relationship Marlow and Kurtz had can be seen as dynamic because at first he is indifferent towards the man, then somewhat obsessed, then he is disgusted with Kurtz, and finally at the end he comes to admire him. Marlow was a round character because we got to see many different sides of who he was. He gave us a more sympathetic side when he befriends the ship helper and also when he gives a biscuit to the slave. But on the opposite end, we're also showed a hint of sexism when he explains that women should know darkness and probably couldn't handle it.
4. I did feel like I had met a person because the author structures the point of view in such a way that allows a reader to do so. He has Marlow telling the story but and unknown listener is not the reader, but a narrator that acts as a bridge. His makes the reader feel as if Marlow is talking directly to them, and just writing in a book.
*Failed to post last night, somebody brought it to my attention this morning.
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