Help!

[Gidgette]

I read Heart of Darkness, and although I enjoyed reading it, I couldn't pick up on all the symbolism it contained. I need to write a paper and need help! I have two questions. . .although it seems obvious, Why did Marlowe go to Africa in the first place? Was it to follow up on his childhood dream of visiting places on the map? What it because that was where the job was? Or was it something else? I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Also, there's this quote we are supposed to explain: “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking of 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”? I am taking this to mean that the process of civilization is a dirty one. . .that there is much ugliness that goes into colonizing a country and a people. Is that right? Does anyone have an opinion that can help me?

Thanks soooo much!
Gidgette

[gepetto]

Hi Gidgette,
This is one of my favourite stories. I've tried other Conrad novels because of this and found him tedious. The novella is based to a large degree on Conrad's own experience. He wrote a diary of when he sailed a boat up the Congo for a Belgian firm that features almost direct passages used in the novella. He even buried a real-life equivalent of Kurtz on the banks of the river on his return. There's a book I used at University called Heart of Darkness and Critical Essays(Oliver Stone included) that has loads of good information.
The early passage about Romans rowing up the River Thames, London completely dismisses any subsequent accusations of racism(Achebe is full of it). Conrad is comparing the so-called civilised Romans entering the HoD in England and seeing the natives as savages. He is looking at history from a great distance and drawing our attention to the fact that all invaders see people as a sub-species. He exchanges the African for the Brit and the white colonialist for the Roman. He draws attention to the reasons we ascribe to conquest.
The Belgians and probably the British, French and Dutch, used alsorts of trickery to subjugate the central africans. They used blank bullets to shoot white confederates in order to lend the impression they were magical and invincible. They used magnifying lenses to 'create' fire. All this is part of the public record. Roger Casement was a passenger of Conrad(hanged for treason by the UK), his diaries describe the amoral activities of Europeans in Congo and Western Africa.
The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking of 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”
I'm very choosy about what I consider powerful literature. HoD is superb.

[Virgil]

I read Heart of Darkness, and although I enjoyed reading it, I couldn't pick up on all the symbolism it contained. I need to write a paper and need help! I have two questions. . .although it seems obvious, Why did Marlowe go to Africa in the first place? Was it to follow up on his childhood dream of visiting places on the map? What it because that was where the job was? Or was it something else? I just can't seem to put my finger on it.
Thanks soooo much!
Gidgette
I believe it was for adventure and change of work. And it was something he had always wanted to do. There is a passage toward the beginning where Marlowe recalls as a youth looking at a map of Africa and marveling at the undiscovered, unmapped areas.


Also, there's this quote we are supposed to explain: “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking of 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”? I am taking this to mean that the process of civilization is a dirty one. . .that there is much ugliness that goes into colonizing a country and a people.

Yes, I think that's what Conrad is saying. What gepetto refers to in his post is that there is an implied racism there; that Africans require civilizing. I think that Conrad feels that Euorpean civilization is superior in many respects, but I don't think he agrees that it's morally right to enslave or strip their property from them. I too feel that those who label Conrad as a racist are going overboard.


Is that right? Does anyone have an opinion that can help me?

Now that's a personal opinion, and here's mine. When it comes to technology and written history, I would have to say there is a difference. African culture for whatever reasons did not progress on the same time table. But when it comes to culture: religion, music, art - then I don't find any difference, and so that comes down to the eye of the beholder.