Analyze Conrad's description of the landscape as Marlow voyages "deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness" (31). What does the diction reveal? What seems to be the tone of these passages that discuss the landscape? How does the landscape take on qualities of an actual character?
Through Conrad's description of the interior landscape of the Congo, he describes it as a place where it is so immense and unfathomable to fully grasp mentally that one feels like the landscape is unexplored, ancient, and continues on forever, making the voyagers, especially Marlow, seem very small in comparison, even though he doesn't feel threatened. The tone of the passage then appears to be that of awe towards the foliage, and through Conrad's description of the Congo, it begins to take this form as an ancient being that is either welcoming Marlow and his crew or cursing their presence there as seen in the trees closing in behind the steamer and the terrifying screams that creates the voyagers fears.
ReplyDeleteI really like your description that you used. One part of your description that really stood out was when you compared Marlow to the landscape and how Marlow feels tiny next to it. I didn't think of that when I was reading so it's cool that you pointed that out.
DeleteI like how you mentioned that it seems as though the jungle could be cursing their presence, sort of like the cursed sailor in the poem we read today.
DeleteI like how you emphasized the vastness of the jungle! Made it seem so much more powerful
DeleteIts interesting how you described the landscape as welcoming the voyagers. Nice interpretation!
DeleteI like how you describe how Marlow is tiny next to the landscape. I relate this back to the metaphor with the bones because it shows that the whites cannot impact Africa because Africa is stronger (bigger here). I really like this insight! Thanks!
DeleteThe vastness is something to take note of. It shows the overall human futility of individuals in the Congo. Although they may take advantage of the resources, even the masters of the art (Kurtz) are outlasted by the elements.
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ReplyDeleteAs Marlow travels deeper into the congo, Conrad describes the landscape as dense, mysterious, and dark. The tone and diction take on an almost sinister, foboding, and eerie feel. The reader himself may feel uneasy while following Marlow on his journey deeper into the haunting jungle. With such a landscape, one gets the feeling that something bad lies in wait for Marlow deep in the jungle. The reader also sees Kurtz as a mysterious, dark individual. The dark shadows of the forest hide many secrets, just as the reader understands that there is an extremely complex and secretive story to this Kurtz. One can also suspect that Kurtz has a darker side to his personality, which may also be shown in this jungle.
ReplyDeleteI like your post because Kurtz can be seen as a mysterious person and thats what Marlows trip into the Congo is about, he is discovering through the mysteries of the Congo to discover the truth behind Kurtz and Marlow is just pushing himself along to both.
DeleteI like how you tied the mysteriousness of Kurtz in with the mysteriousness of the landscape. I never would have made that connection!
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DeleteI agree with this as well. The whole idea of Kurtz stuck out in the depiction of the landscape.
DeleteI agree that this gives an eerie vibe.. reminds me of the poem we read in class today! The setting (fog, murkiness) adds to the eeriness.
DeleteI like how you connected Kurtz to more than just mystery. He holds many secrets just like the landscape. Good point!
DeleteI like the juxtaposition of dark shadows and secrets. makes it even more mysterious.
DeleteI like how you pointed out the foreshadowing that could be suggested by the dark landscape as described by Marlow. Great insight!
DeleteI did not think of Kurtz in comparison to the Congo's darkness and mysterious description. Great view.
DeleteI really liked how you explained that the deeper he went into the Congo, not only is Marlow more catious but so is the reader.
DeleteConrad uses elements such as color to describe how Marlow only feels like a small portion of a great dark place. The colors used such as gloomy green and more neutral colors reflect how he has not found very many positive elements coming from this strange environment. Marlow has yet to fully understand the power of the landscape of the Congo. I feel as though the darkness of the landscape could symbolize foreshadowing of negative events yet to come for Marlow.
ReplyDeleteI like that you said Marlow does not tyet fully understood the power of the landscape. I agree with this because Conrad expressed how the landscape was mysterious and unfathomable.
DeleteI like how you used the colors the show that he does not fully understand the power of the region. I think this can represent for every European that "what they are getting themselves into" is a lot more complicated than what it seems on the surface.
DeleteI really like that you pointed out his use of colors here! He uses it a lot but I never thought into it! Thanks for bringing my attention to it!
DeleteI saw all of the color descriptions, too and I like how you emphasized them. I definitely agree that they are an extremely vital part of the points and descriptions that Conrad is trying to get across to the reader.
DeleteConrad depicts the landscape as unknown and dangerous. At one point he says there is a fog that is oppressive. As Marlow ventures further in, there's no telling what he may find. I also thought that the landscape can be relative to Kurtz. He has yet to reveal himself and is therefore unknown. He seems somewhat dark from what the reader is given and his genius can make him dangerous just like the landscape.
ReplyDeleteGood point abouut the landscape relating to Kurtz. I agree; they are both unknown at the moment.
DeleteI can see what you are saying but you have to look at the beginning of Marlow's journey in the Congo where he is amazed by the landscape surrounding him because it seems to him that the landscape is not entirely scary but just huge and mysterious.
DeleteGood insight! The fog being oppressive definitely gives human-like qualities! Maybe include an example or two on this oppressive force and its impact on Marlow for further analysis! :)
DeleteI like the fog being the oppresive just as it was in the poem we read today. i also agree that it could be relative to Kurtz.
DeleteI agree with your point of the darkness of Africa next to Kurtz's description as being dark and mysterious.
DeleteConrad describes the landscape of Marlow's journey into the "heart of darkness" as mysterious. With this language, Conrad sets forth an ominous and disturbing tone, which reveals the darkness of the jungle. The denseness of the Congo is said to be unexplored; this gives off the feeling that something bad in the Congo awaits only those dark enough to go in search of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you how the fear of the unknown overcomes Marlow and even the readers. I also like how you said the diction was disturbing and ominous because I thought so too
DeleteI liked how you said only people dark enough are willing to explore because this makes me wonder what reason would their darkness have for going into the jungle. Is it just greed or aesthete other reasons?
DeleteI agree with your statement that something 'unexplored' or unlearned can cause one to fear it. This is also supported by the novel as Marlow begins to fear the Congo due to his lack of knowledge about the Congo.
DeleteAs Marlow continues to move deeper and deeper into the Congo, the region grows dark, dense, and mysterious. Generally when one thinks of a region like the Congo or places like the rainforest in South America, bright colors, life, and vast wilderness comes to mind. However, in Marlow's point of view the region is not. I believe this can symbolize that the region was once beautiful and vast, but since the European introversion everything has become dull and lifeless, as if the life was sucked out of everything, and this aspect gets stronger the deeper one goes into the Congo.
ReplyDeleteI like how you contrast the rainforest with colors and filled with life to a dark, gloomy and eerie jungle we see in the Heart of Darkness. I agree that human exploitation can destroy any type of land
DeleteI really like your comments on the destruction of the Congo. I agree, the rainforest is typically associated with lush plants, numerous animals, and life in general. I never considered the contrast in Marlow's point of view; all he describes is darkness, mystery, and death.
DeleteAs Marlow ventures through the "Heart of Darkness" Conrad depicts the land as dark, eerie, and mysterious. The diction Conrad uses causes the reader to feel uneasy because we are afraid of the unknown. I even saw the "white fog" as a symbolism for the European presence. "When the sun rose there was a white fog, very warm and clammy, and more blinding than the night. It did not shift or drive; it was just there, standing all round you like something solid." It's like how the Europeans came to the Congo and disrupted all form of natural life. They overcame the natives and trapped them in their own lands just like the white fog did to the ship.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, the diction did make me feel a little uneasy. In addition, great symbolism of the fog being Europeans. I did not think of that representing the Europeans that way and the way they trapped people.
DeleteDo you think the day/night imagery (as you mentioned with the white fog) might be a life/death allusion? The two symbols are often compared to each other, and we see many death references with the cautions about traveling at night.
DeleteI find it interesting of how you related the white fog to the Europeans since I've never really thought of it like that. The way you connect them actually makes sense to me and I agree that the white fog holds a huge symbolic meaning.
DeleteI like the way you interpreted 'white fog' and what it would symbolize. I also agree with the connection you made between the white fog and the Europeans.
DeleteI interpreted the white fog in the same way as you did, where it represented the Europeans' presence. The fog completely swallows up the trees, and a cry is heard coming from the fog. It could represent the Europeans' oppression pressed upon the natives, hiding their suffering and torture. Good job :)
DeleteThe deeper Marlow gets into the “heart of darkness,” the darker the landscape gets, which gives readers a very mysterious tone. People often believe hearts to symbolize good, and I think that Conrad uses the heart here because most readers would perceive it as hope and goodness. The heart, however, could also have another meaning. The heart is also the center of the body and controls the rest of the body, just like the station controls Africa. The tone gives readers a sense of the unknown, which is exactly what the center of the Congo is, as it is dark. The landscape becomes a character because it is something that has many characteristics that need to be explored to figure out things about it. Also, Conrad uses a lot of personification for the things found in nature to show its characteristics. The landscape is a character that represents all of Africa, like with the growing between the bones to symbolize the fact that Africa can be regrown again.
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected the literal meaning of the heart to the station. It helps me put more into perspective.
DeleteGood point about the literal meaning of heart. I always interpreted heart as the center, but not necessarily as the controller.
DeleteI like your references to the heart being the center of the body, and by extension the Congo. Hopefully this means Marlow is getting close and we can finally meet Kurtz.
DeleteYour insight into the literal and figurative meanings of heart is something I had not considered previously. The idea that Conrad is twisting preconceived notions of the heart is very interesting to think about and may prove more important as the tale continues.
DeleteAs Marlow continues his journey, he describes his observations. There was a creepy vibe that it gave off; everything was stagnant, yet unrestful (if that's a word): "And this stillness of life did not in the least resemble a peace. It was the stillness of an implacable force brooding" (Conrad 30)... The air was "opaque." The fog misconstrues the truth, distorts it, maybe even hides it. The heart of darkness is even a bigger enigma than the character Kurtz himself. The diction portrayed almost a supernatural characteristic to the heart of darkness. Also, the landscape is human-like because it can manipulate/affect the way a person thinks, control his/her thoughts: "...water was treacherous...sulky devil...peer into our creepy thoughts" (33).
ReplyDeleteI like your contradiction with stagnant and unrestful; it really was both things at once. I agree with your supernatural characteristic. I like your insight with the enigma on Kurtz and how you quoted the book.
DeleteThe landscape that Marlow travels through is considered dark, dense, and mysterious. There is an ominous feeling to the landscape that gives the passage a sense of darkness. You can see that Marlow going deeper into the Congo's "darkness" which foreshadows many bad things to come. Kurtz can be seen as a character relating to this quote for he is seen as a mysterious man that not many people know anything about.
ReplyDeleteRight on BRO... Kurtz is as mysterious as the journey inland
DeleteAs Marlow continues on his journey into the "heart of darkness" to meet the mysterious Kurtz, the landscape becomes darker and more mysterious. The language Conrad uses to describe the landscape gives off an eerie tone. The jungle is a dark place, and I think people easily succumb to the darkness. This is evident in the behavior of the Europeans who came to Africa with "good intentions", but later let greed get in their way. Another significant aspect of nature is the fog. The fog hides something, possibly the dark side of Kurtz.
ReplyDeleteI really like your ideas here. Especially the fog, I never would have thought of that on my own. Also, I agree with you that Conrad's diction gives an eerie tone. In addition, I think that you are right about the Europeans succumbing to the darkness. Great job.
DeleteI liked your description of the landscape and how you said that people with good intentions are swallowed up by the darkness and turn evil. Also, I liked how you brought in the fog and how fog covers things.
DeleteI like the idea of the fog hiding Kurtz's darker side. The fog is definitely an essential part of the mood.
DeleteI really liked your analysis of the fog. I think that the fog does create an eerie atmosphere showing that they don't truly understand what they are going into.
DeleteI agree with everyone that agrees with you. The fog could represent many things but Conrad implies that it is hiding something. Because Marlow looks at kurtz with such admiration, it really could be hiding the dark side of Kurtz.
DeleteI agree that the fog could be hiding the side of Kurtz that both the reader and Marlow have yet to realize may exist, just as the Europeans came with "good intentions" and furthermore succumb to the darkness - the same may be said for Kurtz.
DeleteThe description that Conrad gives as Marlow goes deeper into the heart of darkness is an eerie, spooky feeling. Marlow knows that there are people all around him, but he cannot see them. Conrad’s diction is very powerful; he draws the reader into the scene. As I read it I felt as though I was on the boat seeing what Marlow sees and feeling the way Marlow felt. The tone was a creepy tone and cautious. The landscape takes on qualities of an actual character in that it was controlling and very influential. The landscape represents Kurtz because it is mysterious and unknown.
ReplyDeleteI felt like I was on the boat too, very alluring diction, completely agree with you.
DeleteThe landscape plays a key role in the voyage of Marlow as he travels into the "heart of darkness." The landscape is eerie and somewhat spooky especially as it gets later into the night because the sun is setting so it's getting dark. The whole trip is mysterious especially when talking about Kurtz. I think in a way, the landscape represents Kurtz because as you find out more about Kurtz you get a weird feeling about him just like you get a weird feeling as you travel farther into the Congo.
ReplyDeleteI like the connection between the landscape and Kurtz! That's definitely something we should think about.
DeleteYour connection between the landscape and Kurtz is really interesting! I didn't notice that while reading, but now that you've pointed it out, I see where you're coming from! Conrad also shows both the forest and Kurtz to be dynamic by revealing multiple aspects of each, so there are definitely similarities!
DeleteConrad's diction as Marlow travels deeper into the "heart of darkness" as he is trying to reach his destination becomes richer and begins to give a real outlook on where he is going wtihin the Congo. Everything around him becomes darker and all of his previous adventures seems not to amount to this one. It's almost like a build-up, as everything around him slowly becoming more mysterious and wilder, preparing himself for what is to come. The tone is once again very mysterious, eerie in a sense, and tempting, making the audience waiting to see what would happen next. The landscape he travels through rather than relating to one of the characters already mentioned, I saw it as a whole different person. He is beginning to notice the dark side of this "person" and see his true personality. This meeting and getting to know of the "person" or landscape is preparing him for what is to come with his final destination.
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out that now the diction shows the reality of where Marlow is. I didn't see it like that exactly, but I agree with your idea.
DeleteThe "heart of darkness" is, in a sense, a very literal concept. As Marlow and his companions go deeper and deeper into this eerie place where savagery (rather than civilization) reigns, the darkness in their hearts grows (or, one could argue, simply becomes unveiled).
ReplyDeleteConrad shows the savagery of the men here through the use of phrases such as "bloodshot widening of his eyes and a flash of sharp teeth"--things that seem extremely animalistic. He also speaks of "savage discords" and the "gnawing devils of hunger" to perpetuate the idea of complete chaos, both of their surroundings and of their souls.
The land becomes a character that corrupts, destroys, and takes everything back in the end (a concept we received from Poisonwood Bible). It is the most powerful character of all.
I love your Poisonwood Bible reference! Do you have any predictions for how this heart of darkness might take back what it once gave? Do you think it will discriminate between whites like the Station Manager who are in it just for the money or others like Marlow who seek pure adventure and self-fulfillment?
DeleteI like what you said about how "the dark shadows of the forest hide many secrets" because I feel like as Marlow went deeper in to the Congo and the wilderness became more vast and dark, it was as if the dark shadows of the forest were hiding secrets, just as Kurtz has a secret story about him. Great insight!
DeleteI agree with Julia i love your Poisonwood Bible reference. Both these books have so much in common!Is is the landscape that destroys and corrupts everything or the people itself, because as you go deeper and deeper into the Congo you move away from civilization.
DeleteAs we approach Kurtz and the heart of darkness, the land is depicted as increasingly more foreboding- the trees are "unnatural" in their stillness, the fog of a sun is "warm and clammy" and "blinding." These are not positive descriptions, folks! The closer we get to Kurtz, the more danger we see in the landscape and the more fear we see in the peoples traveling it. The way the land is personified reminds me of the poem we read in class today where, for example, the storm was personified as a male character, the moon female, etc.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you connected the atmosphere and depiction of the landscape as corresponding to the closeness of Kurtz. Perhaps the foreboding nature of the landscape indicates Kurtz's true nature as Marlow and the others go deeper into the "heart of darkness" where things seem to get more eerie and dangerous.
DeleteI think this escalating sense of fear and danger foreshadows a horrific/violent event that Marlow will soon experience.
DeleteI really like how you integrated the poem into the heart of darkness. It's a fresh interpretation of it.
DeleteAs Marlow continues to venture into the jungle, Conrad's diction continues to get eerie and dark. Marlow hardly explains anything as pleasant or beautiful and emphasizes the suffering of hunger and survival challenges they are experiencing as they get closer to Kurtz. The tone is very dark and mysterious like the description of Kurtz and I think that the closer Marlow and his crew get to Kurtz, the darker the jungle will get because they are getting even closer to the true heart and epicenter of darkness. Conrad personifies the landscape and almost turns it into a character when he says "The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at HER last gasp...." (Conrad 34). This definitely shows how Conrad not only gives the landscape a character-like description, but also a gender, making it even more like a human that has emotions. You can feel the eerie sense in the jungle as well as the darkness because of the language used to express the true evil that resides there.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said that the hunger and challenges increase the closer they get to Kurtz. Maybe Kurtz is the opposite of the rumors, and he is himself emanating this darkness?
DeleteThe further Marlow travels down the Congo River, the less he knows and understands about the land and the people, leaving him in the dark, so the further he travels down the river, the more he is headed straight for the root of the unknown or the "heart of darkness." By describing the land in a very similar manner to the way he describes the people, Conrad makes the land seem just as abused and exploited as the Africans themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree! When he talks about going into the white fog, it could represent entering the unknown or maybe retreating farther and farther away from civilization familiar to him. Good job :)
DeleteIf he is distancing hiself from civilzation, could he also be distancing himself from sanity? The poem we read today where the mariner who finds himself cut from society appears to go crazy may tie into this aspect of the novel...
DeleteAgree. The further he goes the more he's influenced by the darkness and maybe will lose his own humanity.
DeleteAs Marlow moves deeper and deeper into the "heart of darkness", the landscape starts to become darker, stranger, and more mysterious. Strange sounds and a heavy, dense fog adds on to the uneasiness and oppressive atmosphere that Marlow and the others feel including the eerie sign they found that was a warning for them to be "cautious". This all foreshadows that something bad or perhaps something dangerous lies ahead in which Marlow and the others are slowly approaching closer as they go deeper into the "heart of darkness". Marlow's description of the landscape makes it seems as though it is alive in a complex and raw way. The landscape seems to take on qualities of an actual character when Marlow describes (and even personifies) the darkness and unknowingness of the whole eerie place with the sensitivity of the senses (particularly sound, sight, touch/feeling).
ReplyDeleteOh, I like what you said about how the strange sounds add on to the uneasiness and oppressive atmosphere. I like how you worded that!
DeleteI agree with you Michelle. Most diction throughout the book, even before this reading section, implies that the jungle is a living, collectively sentient being that transcends a normal forest or, say, a potted plant. The jungle seems to unite as one to make these eerie feelings you describe, perhaps to warn of and forebode disaster of proceeding deeper into the heart or as a means to scare off the pilgrims from the virgin land. Anyways, good thorough explanations.
DeleteYou could definitely see the description as some sort of a foreshadow. I definitely see that Marlow personifies not only the forest itself, but the darkness surrounding it. Very interesting analysis!
DeleteConrad’s description of the landscape reveals the ominous nature that it holds. The steady beat of the drums create a rhythm in the forest, and I imagined the drum to be like a heartbeat. This drumming could signify that the “darkness” of the jungle is real and alive, actively seeking out the steamboat and its crew. However, since we know how many side villages there are along the river, that idea seems a little far-fetched. The landscape is discussed in a dark and eerie tone. Conrad says, “The dawns were heralded by the descent of a chill stillness; the wood-cutters slept, their fires burned low; the snapping of a twig would make you start.” This line highlights how timid Marlow and his crew felt, and through the repetition of lines like this, the reader begins to feel the same way. The landscape begins to form into an actual character because, as I mentioned, the drumming could be symbolic of a heartbeat. Furthermore, the landscape was described as a stranger. It was unlike anything Marlow or his men had ever seen, just like any other person. Landscapes are all the same, with some variances. There shouldn’t be anything that Marlow (and especially his crew) had never seen after all their time out in the jungle.
ReplyDeleteConclusively. everything relates back to the title of the book: the heart, the darkness, and the heart of darkness. Nice!
DeleteAs Marlow continues his journey, his view on the Congo alters. At first, he approaches the Congo with curiosity. However, as he begins to travel in the jungle, he views the Congo as this dark 'mystery' that he can't seem to figure out. Moreover, Conrad describes Marlow's journey as one that goes deeper and deeper into the 'heart of darkness'. Such darkness can be understood as the 'lack of knowledge'. Therefore, Marlow is falling deeper and deeper into the mystery of the Congo.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the darkness of the Congo represents the mystery of Marlow's environment.
DeleteI didn't think initially think of the darkness as lack of knowledge, but I see the connection as light is usually connected with knowledge. Absence of light=lack of knowledge. Good connection.
DeleteThe diction and tone convey the feeling of being lost. It gives the reader a sense of uncertainity, with Marlow not knowing what he is getting himself into. It is a very eerie, unwelcoming description, with a hint of chaos thrown into the mix. The landscape takes on the qualities of Kurtz. Like Kurtz, the landscape is unknown and foreign. It is mystical and new. Marlow wants to know more about it/him, and will soon get this opportunity, as his boat approaches the new station.
ReplyDeleteWould you argue that as Marlow is entering the Congo, he is also looking deeper into himself? The journey on the river is also a journey of insrospection.
DeleteThe title we gave for part II of the book is "Entering the Heart of Darkness," so we already have this mindset that as Marlow is riding down the serpent, the Congo river, he is inevitably reaching toward the heart of darkness. Marlow describes the place as lost, as if the world had vanished. Where he is he has lost the sense of humanity; there is only an ominous fog and a dense lying fear among the crew. Just like Marlow, the land is foreshadowing dangers and struggles to come.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mention the river as the serpent. Almost to say as if like the serpent in Adam and eve it is leading it to darkness. Nice.
DeleteAs Conrad goes further into the "heart of darkness," darkness and gloom seem to be prominent. He's travelling deeper into the jungle, where civilization does not seem to exist. The diction used is very creepy, especially when Marlow describes the white fog. He says that it appeared to be screaming. The wind probably was screaming due to suffering, but the source of the scream is swallowed up in the fog, unable to be identified. The tone of these passages is almost dream-like in a way, like everything Marlow sees is just a dream. The landscape as he travels further into the "heart of darkness" parallels the Europeans in Africa. Conrad writes,"The current was more rapid now (Conrad 54)..." The current represents the temptation for money and power the Europeans possessed and how this temptation grows stronger with each passing day. Marlow picks out a tree to watch, but it disappears before he can remember it. This represents the natives, their innocence and potential for life is forgotten and their suffering goes unnoticed by the Europeans.
ReplyDeleteWow, spectacular analysis! You covered so much that it'll be difficult for me to respond/ask questions, but I'll try (in case you actually go back and check for responses; want to make it worth your while!). I especially like that you pointed out the dream-like quality of the descent into the Heart, connecting it loosely to the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", where so much is unknown. What is truth? What is madness? What spells of the jungle trick the senses? Also, excellent connection to the river/currents as being the personification of European temptation, just as before when the river was consistently described as a serpentine entity, which has a connotation towards temptation, sin, and the evils that lie latent within the human heart. Marlow tastes this temptation as the need to meet with Kurtz (such as when he describes his unreasonable and stubborn desire to continue through the blinding dark of night despite the sluggish months he's already spent waiting). All in all, excellent connections, quote use, and analysis of textual facts!
DeleteAs Marlow goes up the river, the descriptions of the landscape become more and more ominous. The tone is eerie and dark. The diction reveals that light and goodness disappear as he goes farther into the wilderness where the people, like the trees and the river, are more savage and untamed. The fog Conrad describes seems to be hiding something, which creates a feeling of mystery and dark potential. This feeling is the same one Marlow feels about Kurtz because Kurtz is a mysterious and potentially dark character. The landscape takes on the qualities of an actual character when it hints at the darker side of Kurtz.
ReplyDeleteThe journey inland is described as very dark and mysterious. A lot of the ongoing events involve secrets, dark places, and mysterious characters. We see this juxtaposition between the journey and the character of Kurtz. A man who is only being talked about, but has never been encountered face to face by the reader. Going the deeper into the jungle, Conrad used a lot of eerie, and horrifying diction to give the reader a sense of what it felt like. There are shadows, which can symbolize dark secrets being held back.
ReplyDeleteThe diction reveals an element of mystery in the forest which Marlow is traveling into. An ominous tone is established in order to convey a sense of uneasiness and danger. This uneasiness may be stirred up in order to foreshadow an eminent threat or dark discovery. The depiction of the landscape takes on human qualities by the emotions which it provokes. It's mysterious and dark elements provoke the fear of the unknown, which is feared in people as well. This could very well connect to Marlow's lack of knowledge of Kurtz. The landscape represents the unknown as does the character of Mr. Kurtz. Both are shrouded in mystery and darkness.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you compared the physical confusion and mystery to Kurtz's personality.
DeleteConrad's description of the landscape was dark, mysterious and heavy. As Marlow voyages deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness, he is coming in contact with a place full of danger, darkness and "savages". The diction reveals the shift in location from where Marlow started to where he is headed. As he goes deeper and deeper into his journey, the diction reveals the continually growing darkness and wilderness of the Congo. The tone of the passage is eerie, mysterious and fearful. The description of the landscape symbolizes who Kurtz is. It takes on the qualities of Kurtz's character and how because he is located in the heart of darkness and all evil, he is also like that.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Conrad's shift in diction parallels the shift in location and atmosphere.
DeleteI never noticed the shift in diction before. Also, I find it interesting that you compare the landscape to Kurtz, and how the landscape affects him. I can definitely see the parallels now.
DeleteThe diction reveals the story's element of mystery as going deeper into the heart of darkness, Marlow will witness more aspects of the darkness in the congo. This darkness may be personified with increasingly greater representations of subjugation and slavery and in penetrating to the heart of darkness, reveal the true savagery of human kind at its most primitive form. Likewise, the diction gives off the tone of the darkness almost holding Marlow captive as he is now in his territory and can not so easily get out; perhaps foreshadowing, Marlow succumbing to the darkness and it encompassing him and his heart completely.
ReplyDeleteAfter much contemplation, I've decided I do not wish to place quotes around the words "heart of darkness", since I believe it is real, both metaphorically and literally and thus it is inaccurate to quote-ify (yes, I know, not a word) the phrase. A few things I'd like to bring up, not all related to the prompt, but more for the purpose of further discussion and perspective. After Marlow picked up the book, did anyone else pick up on the possible Buddha reference? "'What did it matter what anyone knew or ignored? What did it matter who was manager? One gets sometimes such a flash of insight. The essentials of this affair lay deep under the surface, beyond my reach, and beyond my power of meddling'" (Conrad 35, Dover Thrift edition). Just wondering if anyone agreed that this fit the idea of Marlow reaching Buddha-like enlightenment by the end of the story. I agree with plenty of other responses that the jungle is indeed a sentient (and rather volatile) entity that is trying its best to hinder the crew from entering its delicate heart. The heart may be seen as a last place of purity, the final stronghold of the jungle that Europeans have yet to fully pierce. Perhaps the jungle is acting as a buffer, a ribcage between the crew and the heart, the last line of defense to its lifeline, and is trying to scare the bejeezus out of the crew. For instance, its harpy-like shrieking that terrifies the crew to wit's end, and in contrast, the deafening silence to where even the single most silent sound is "like a gunshot". At night, there is a blindness that shrouds their eyes, and by day, a milky fog that is even more shrouding than the night (another analysis may be the European/white man's blindness). The jungle is making it impossible to trust their senses, and when in an entirely foreign environment, the instinct that senses provide keeps a man alive; without these, it is likely the crew (perhaps excluding the Africans, who seem immune to the jungle's effects) will go mad. The immune Africans however are not joining along the crew to destroy the heart, perhaps only to appreciate its power and beauty, and thus the jungle does not attempt to incapacitate them; they bid no harm to their dying friend. All these combined factors make for a positively eerie atmosphere, one that can make us readers doubt Marlow's reliability as a narrator. Is he still under the jungle's autoimmune spell of self-protection? Does he achieve his Buddha-like enlightenment after breaking through -- or being broken by -- the jungle's metaphorical ribcage?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interpretation of the forest- my response was actually really similar to what you said. I also really like your explanation of the symbolism you saw in the relationship between Marlow and Buddha! I actually didn't notice that earlier!
DeleteThe deeper the journey into the heart of darkness, the more mysterious and ominous the atmosphere becomes. The unknown of the Congo predicts an inevitable danger and destruction. Likewise, Kurtz portrays as a character of idiosyncrasy and may have an unexpected side of him.
ReplyDeleteYour comment made me wonder a little bit more about Kurtz and the difference between how he is portrayed and how he really acts.
DeleteAs Marlow voyages deeper into the heart of darkness, Conrad adjusts his diction to establish an eerie atmosphere and accurately depict the landscape the main character encounters. For instance, the author employs more image clusters of gloom in this section with descriptions such as "greenish gloom" when re-creating the setting, an atmosphere filled with massive trees. Through Conrad's tone, readers get the sense that the forest forebodes evil and that it's purpose is to further terrify all those who venture into it and prevent them from gaining entrance to the "heart." This, for example, can be seen in the noises Marlow mentions that horrify his entire crew, most likely with the goal of intimidating them to end their journey then and there. However, the forest also takes on the traits of an actual character because Conrad does not merely describe it as an entirely evil place. Rather, he exposes more than one dimension of the forest, as he does with characters like Mr. Kurtz, by juxtaposing the frightening noises the forest produces with its extraordinary muteness.
ReplyDeleteAs Marlow ventures deeper into the "Heart of Darkness" Conrad uses specific diction to show the reader how Marlow sees the Congo as unexplainably mysterious and vast. The further Marlow travels into the Congo, the more ominous it seems. This may foreshadow an upcoming danger that Marlow has yet to discover because he himself does not fully understand the Congo and its landscape.
ReplyDeleteThe description of the setting has a sense of uncertainty: "whether it meant war, peace, or prayer we could not tell." (71 Conrad) The forest is described almost as its own sentient being that is trying to stop Marlow and his crew from entering. Marlow seems relatively unaware of this, imagining himself as making a prehistoric discovery, as if the forest's sentiment - if such thing exists - does not matter. Marlow's unawareness compares to the European colonizer's active ignorance of the native Africans' sentiments, because they, too, viewed Africans as something less than fully human (and Marlow fully espouses this sentiment later on).
ReplyDeleteConrad's description of the landscape of the Congo describes it as a place where it is so vast that it seems to be unexplored, which makes Marlow seem very small in comparison. however, Marlow doesn't feel threatened by its largeness. The tone of the passage then appears to be that of awe towards the greenness of the plants, and starts to become an ancient being that is either welcoming Marlow and his men or despising them being in the Congo, because the trees start to close in behind the steamer and there are terrifying screams that makes the men scared to be traveling through there.
ReplyDelete(Oh my... sorry Ms. York it didn't send from yesterday). Conrad's portrayal of the landscape is dark, mysterious, and dangerous. There is an aura of anxiety because of the forest and the natives. The landscape is described as preshistoric or de-evolved. An animalistic trait is revealed. The landscape is personified as a ominious being.
ReplyDeleteHere is a scary wilderness, more heated and unpredictable than the other environments, filled with deadly snakes, and insects that give you malaria and other diseases. As Marlow continues his journey into the jungle he adjusts his diction to seem more weary which creates a sense of mystery in the story. Putting this sense of questioning and wondering, the reader gets pulled in with the urge to find out these answers and solve the mysteries. As Marlow's diction is changing, so is Marlow. Through his choice of words, we see his true personality show. Marlow is turning darker on the inside, as his surroundings are on the inside.
ReplyDeleteAs Marlow continues on his journey to reach Kurtz in the "heart of darkness", the land gets, well, darker. Conrad's diction allows the reader to really feel the growing gloom as he goes deeper and deeper. He makes the jungle come alive; as if it's that shady man luring people into a dark ally. With such foreboding emotions accompanying the voyage, the reader gains a sense of mounting danger. As if something is going to be dreadfully wrong once Marlow reaches his destination. However, this leaves a sense of mystery because we aren't sure what will happen.
ReplyDeleteI think the jungle represents a character in itself. Some of the themes we have touched on regarding nature have been how it seems to take everything back, and how the elements represent different themes. The fog is one element I found highly symbolic because it represents confusion and adds an eerie effect to the story. The fog adds tension and a foreboding feel in a time of high tension, hiding potential dangers and the unknown. This mirrors what Marlow is experiencing as he ventures deeper into the wild.
ReplyDeleteAs Marlow travels delve deeper and deeper into the 'heart of darkness' which is the central station where Kurtz resides Conrad switches his tone from already dark and gloomy to even more cynical and mysteriously creepy. The jungle is given qualities like an actual character. Conrad uses the natural elements to effect the characters for example, the fog is like confusion. The diction and the tone switches, however the tone of the story foreshadows something very bad is about to happen. It is sorta like the music that just adds suspense to a movie.
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