Essay Question

How does Freud's idea of man being born as a immediate aggression, naturally and greedy being compare to Conrad's development of characters we see through Marlow's eyes in both sides of the spectrum (Europe & Africa)?

Murfin

I like the article that Murfin wrote a lot more because it is a lot lighter than Heart of Darkness.  The language is not as heavy and you understand the idea Murfin is getting across that man express himself in many different way because the mind works in every way possible.  Heart of Darkness on the other hand, for me, is a dragged out, making itself too long, and doesn't get to the point fast enough.  As both the article and novel are similar in the idea the man is different and the evils of man are sometimes unexplainable and uncontrollable as we'll as other emotions, you only see this sum until the end in the back of the book.

Heart of Darkness: Chapter 3 end

Marlow returns to Brussels sick, and his aunt brings him back to better health.  He also brings back a book about savages and with that he brings back a whole new perspective that probably no one around him will ever experience.  He sees everyone and there over privileged lives and thinks of them as snub and not understanding of the other "world".  As Marlow returns and stays with his aunt, she praises Kurtz and even though Marlow doesn't want to hear it, he understands that he is one of her only people around her and like that ironically the story ends, into The Heart of Darkness.

Heart of Darkness: Chp 3 continue

Marlow sees that Kurtz is overcharged and look down on by a silhouette of the chief.  Kurtz knows that he could be killed by the villagers with the command of the chief but was not worried.  Even though he is hurt his confidence makes Marlow feel less of a man because he would not be able to carry himself so fluidly even being full bodied.  As Marlow is leaving the island the next day he blows his whistle and the pilgrims start shooting towards the island and the island gets clouded with gun smoke.

Heart of Darkness: Chapter 3

The Russian trader reveals that he has been traveling through the forest with Kurtz.  Kurtz apparently was ivory hunting and apparently threatened the Russian by telling him he'll kill him.  The trader said that he paid no attention to this because you have to get to know Kurtz to know what he's about.  Kurtz is now ill, and the Russian says that he was treating him but now he is out of supplies and cannot anymore.  The villagers say that tried all they could and now both the trader and the villagers do not know what to do to help Kurtz.  The Russian also reveals that Kurtz is the one who sent out the attack on the ship.

Heart of Darkness: End of Chapter 2

The helmsman attack Marlow's ship.  After large bloodshed, Marlow survives, but because of the absence of Kurtz he and other shipmates assume he is dead from the fight.  As they move along, Marlow seems to understand and learn more about Kurtz mysterious ways and life.  He finds out as well that he has a fiancé, one that he never talks about ironic enough to the fact that he talks so much about everything else.  Later while they are heading toward an island, Marlow and the others dock and see the Russian Trader and says that Kurtz survived as well, but they don't want him to leave because his knowledge is too valuable.  He has taught them so much the trader says.

Heart of Darkness: Rest of Chapter

This section contains many instances of contradictory language, reflecting Marlow’s difficult and uncomfortable position. Mellow as usual is contained and surrounded by the darkness and repression at the African people around him face. In the meanwhile the tension between Marlow and Kurtz builds as Kurtz is trying to overturn the village into a civilized work station. Also the addition of the Russian trader changes things up as Marlow can not tell I'd the man is crazy or is jut wanting to be with him because he is so interesting or is it something that he's attracting him with? Help change the village...

Heart of Darkness: Chapter 2

We find out that Kurtz has been sent to the Congo with plans to turn the stations into beacons of civilization and moral improvement, and that Kurtz wants to take over the manager’s position.  This scares the manager and reminds him that Kurtz tried to previously change the system a year ago.  The managers uncle, after hanging and innocent African, says that no one will change the system (darkness).  And we finally get introduced to the heart of darkness.

Heart of Darkness

Marlow experiences greater ethnic differences as his ship is burnt down and gets word that a villager whom some thought was the arsonist was beaten as punishment.  When he got better he ran into the forest, ironically, the villager is using the darkness as his protector, living under the shadows.  Marlow also finds out more about Kutz, and finds out he is really good artist who is on mission for the company to find out more about life "on the other side".

Heart of Darkness and Freud Presentation

“Civilization describes the whole sum of the achievements and regulations which distinguish our lives from those of our animal ancestors and which serve two purposes-namely, to protect men against nature and to adjust their mutual relations.” Freud establishes the idea that man's animalism is what controls desire and fear. This forest type ideal turns men into barbarians and unsociable wolf men who can not be what we understand today to be "normal". This idea is similar to how Conrad carves Marlows journey as we see through Marlows eyes that the men he surrounds himself are emotionless fiends who do not care for anyone but themselves and their greed, the only feeling they really have. This makes Freud’s research of the unconscious and Conrad’s journey into darkness is remarkably similar. This combo of darkness is shown in the image we have at the bottom that shows man breaking away from the beastly desires of darkness but obviously not an easy "journey"

Heart of Darkness pg 26-31

In these pages, Marlow meet Mr. Kutz.  Kutz is a very quiet and seemingly sneaky character.  He does not do much and does not make "to much noise", but the ship that Marlow had to command, is soon sunk as Mr. Kutz a boards, coincidence?  Further Kutz becomes ill and Marlow takes the time he has to get to know others such as the general manager, whom him and others for some reason seem to keep Marlow away from Kutz.

Heart of Darkness & Freud

Freud presents man like a beast.  He writes that true character is surrounded by sex, lust, emotion, violence, greed, and everything that we would see makes "blood boil".  Freud's idea of men being all bad and only improve in with the better of their own experiences, drives away from the usual, simple biblical context where every child is born good.  Freud is seemingly not a philosopher but an Anarchist who wants to see the world turn from the bad to good.  His pessimistic view, although very controversial and enormously oversteps its boundary, also causes thought for concern, provocative culture, and as well well thought ideas.  The writing in Heart of Darkness is similar to Freud's beliefs because every man you come across in the book is bad, committing evil, and is only driven but greed and self-satisfaction and pleasure.  The African slaves, the accountant, the idea of elitism, Marlow's thoughts they are examples of Freud's beliefs because they fuel war.  War fuel anarchy, but for a reader all this entices, makes us belief in the other side of things.  Do I agree with Freud, NO, but like I said in class, he is the 19th/20th century Howard Stern, he might say awful things, but what he says, no matter if you like him or not, you want to hear what he says next.

Heart of Darkness pg 17-26

In these pages Marlow I feel sees images of himself as he describes his scenarios very depressingly. He sees black African slaves chained together and under the guard of another slave. He says “devils” of violence, greed, and desire, but that in Africa he became acquainted with the “flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly.”  This quote presents thats Marlow has become more accustom with a lower level of existence of black people.  As well as meeting the white company chief accountant who as well presents himself in a devilish manner.  Symbolically I feel that Marlow is facing his demons head on.

Heart of Darkness Chp 1 (cont.)

Not only is Marlow's job acceptance important because he sees his Aunt and is hired by The Company for the purpose that Marlow can bring help, fortune, and change to the Belgium's colonial assets.  The key moment in this is change.  I feel that this moment in time Marlows traveling symbolizes that idea of change that is constantly talked about in the chapter.  Also the fact that Marlow has Fresleven's head and brings it to the doctor shows that Marlow is quite wealthy and powerful as the doctor says that he is surprised that he didn't end up like Fresleven as well, dead in Africa, because nobody ever gets out.  At the end Marlow feels like he's going towards the center of the Earth, seemingly foreshadowing events to come and maybe hinting at a type of Darkness in the heart (the center).

Heart of Darkness Setup

I think that the way story opens out there will be a lot of flashback reading.  Marlow is already shown to have a flashback to back to when he was a sailor, sailing through Asia for 6 years and other stints in Africa.  I feel that his story will obviously be the main one but the other 4 people on the boat with him aren't there just to fill up space but to maybe let Marlow's new present character develop so we the reader can digest the information from his past and his present.  Maybe that contrast will give the character not more life but in a sense shine a brighter light and put a different perspective towards what he does and how what he does, whether it will mimic what he did in his stories or not.