I really enjoyed it, even though it was written in a style that I usually dislike. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a "page-turner", but the story was definitely compelling from beginning to end.
You want to know what's funny about it though?
Nothing happens.
Well, maybe not nothing, but the story itself is very simple:
A man joins a company that gathers ivory out of Africa. The man is charged with the job of retrieving Kurtz, an almost legendary ivory trader in the heart of Africa (hence Heart of Darkness). So after many days piloting a steamboat up the river the man finally finds Kurtz, loads him on the boat and heads back down river. Kurtz dies en route to Europe. The End.
Soooo.. I'm pretty sure that I completely missed the message hidden in the story. You should all read it and tell me what you think... because I'm a bit confused.
7 comments:
Those terrible books who kidnap the plot and hold it ransom while demanding we explore our inner psyche...
I hated it, by the way, but I know some who claim it's one of their favorite books.
Well I certainly wouldn't claim it as a favorite, merely good.
and, um... who are you?
Oh, nevermind :)
Hmm... maybe I'll read it next week, but I doubt I'll be able to find a "hidden message"...
Don't think I've read this one yet - I'll get back to you in a week or so :)
So I rarely find "hidden messages" inside books, but this is what I'd say:
It all leads back to Nihilism.
Marlow's a Nihilist who has totally thought through his life as such whereas Kurtz has thought through the theory and reached its logical conclusion: there is nothing on Earth worth anything so do whatever you have to do to accomplish what it is that you want to accomplish.
This is shown by the major theme in the book that is that humans are only unlike the barbarians because they for some reason attribute something worthwhile to civilization, but ulitmately.. there is no meaning to anything. It's all just a big accident. There are no truths, nor are there any set "morals". Life is utterly meaningless.
I'm probably wrong though.
Interesting view Sarah Lynne it makes sense.
But if life was meaningless why wouldn't Kurtz stay with his Intended, the only one he cared for? Perhaps he didn't really love her which is why she is only given the title of "intended". Oh, and she thinks his last words are her name, but really they are "The horror! The horror!"
Hmmm... Perhaps if we find out about Conrad's life we could gain some insight.
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