Heart of Darkness (Last one)

Basically, Kurtz dies, Marlow goes a little nuts and then talks to the Intended. Kurtz's last words were 'the horror, the horror'. Whatever he actually meant by those words is very unclear. It could be Kurtz's realization of the horror and existence of the darkness and what it has made him do. I don't think he is remorseful or feels guilty at the end. He simply understands what he has done and is maybe afraid of it and what might happen to him now, but I think if given the choice, he would do it again. Marlow is really affected by Kurtz's words and death. He doesn't feel like he fits with normal civilization again because he feels that all the people don't understand the moral danger they are in and don't know, care and understand about the darkness. When Marlow talks to the Intended, this feeling gets worse because the Intended really has absolutely no conception of what the darkness is or means. She thinks she knows Kurtz better than anyone, yet she doesn't know about what he did in the jungle and she probably wouldn't believe it if Marlow told her. That's partly why Marlow lies at the end: he doesn't want to explain what Kurtz became because she wouldn't understand. He also lies because he feels awkward and telling Kurtz's grieving fiancée that he said 'the horror, the horror' about his experiences in the jungle would require explanation and Marlow just wants to leave by that point. In the end of the book, the sailor crew does not care or understand about Marlow's story either, but the darkness is shown to be there and ready to affect them even though they don't know it.

Heart of Darkness (4?)

Marlow talks to the Russian about Mr. Kurtz. Kurtz appears to be a person who has the ability to dominate people with the force of his personality. When Marlow sees Kurtz, he (Kurtz) is dying and frail, but his voice is still powerful. The Russian is surprised that Marlow has not become a worshipper of Kurtz. Marlow does defend Kurtz from the Manager, who says Kurtz (and thus Marlow) is unsound. Kurtz apparently ordered the attack on the boat. He is portrayed as having been consumed with the darkness of the land. The themes of sickness and physical decomposition are shown. The Russian leaves and makes Marlow promise to look after Kurtz.

Heart of Darkness pgs 42-54

This part continued Marlow's journey in the steamboat down the river. A bunch of natives attacks and some people get killed. They arrive and the harlequin greets them. He's Russian and ran away from home to be on a ship, like Conrad did. Marlow breaks narrative for a bit to say that none of the sailors now can understand the darkness and what he went through because their lives are too regulated and 'civilized'. Kurtz is mentioned a lot. He is portrayed as a 'voice' that speaks and to which others only listen. He is also mentioned as having gotten loads and loads of ivory (fairly and by finding what the native people bury). Despite the fact (or maybe because of) that Marlow knows the rumours of how Kurtz might have done 'unspeakable rituals', Marlow is still interested in meeting Kurtz. The darkness in people and in the land is mentioned a lot. There is a lot of imagery connected to all of this: violent death, isolation, madness. Especially because of the battle scene.

Heart of Darkness 30-41

(I'm not entirely sure what exactly these blogs are supposed to be about, but I tried.)

This section begins with Marlow overhearing the Manager (I think this is who it is) talking with his uncle about Mr. Kurtz (and possibly Marlow as well?). Then Marlow begins his journey in the steamboat down the river and has difficulty because in parts the river is too shallow and the African people who go with them are forced to eat rotten hippo meat until the pilgrims throw the meat away and then they starve. Marlow is really really curious about meeting Mr. Kurtz. I think the Manager goes with them.

There is a lot of the imagery listed in point 7: sickness (the people dying of starvation), gloom and brightness (these two when describing the forest they're sailing through), physical decomposition (the hippo meat). Also, there are a lot of the references to work and labor.