Discussion of Heart of Darkness

[Wulaishiwo2]

I had to read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness for my University degree and will admit that I personally found it quite tough going, despite the book being ever so short in length, 111 pages in fact. After writing a 2000 word essay on a particular aspect of the book however I found myself being drawn into the story and have know come to if not like at least respect the book......

[Anna james]

I read this book first time and become fane of this series.

Well as far as the reviews are discussed, would definitely like to go on and try this book. Seems to be a great book to go for and enjoy reading....

[Techforums123]

The story opens with an unnamed narrator describing five men, apparently colleagues, on a boat anchored on the River Thames near London and the surroundings as dusk settles in and they await the turning of the tide. The narrator cites a passenger known as Charlie Marlow, the only one of the men who "still followed the sea." Marlow makes a comment about London having been "one of the dark places on earth"; thus begins the story of Marlow and a job he took as captain of a steamship in Africa.

Its a really good story one should to read

[Mel Carriere]

I thought Lord Jim was better. Lord Jim reminded me a lot of myself, and it made me cry.

[Timpane]

I considered there was too much 'ominous'-ity that it got kind of dull for a while. And the method of the composing, leaping from location to location, lost me at times. I signify, you actually had to aim on every phrase said or additional you'd think

[Davinci]

I had to read it in school but I loved it. This is one of a few books that I`ve read about 10 times and still love it

[Florinda]

not yet read.. now i m getting interest to read this book after seeing this post..

[Teabeck]

a love story of vampire and human novel

[Andrepitt77]

I read this book and i think it so ultimate story. This story is specifically relevant to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. It is a Surprisingly small but it is pure dynamite.

[Timpane]

I manage like the inward and outside border narration as I've not ever read a publication like that before. The article was so attached on Marlow that you at times, you overlook we're getting the article from somebody else.

[Avid Reader]

I read Heart of Darkness partly as an attempt to fill some holes in reading the classics and partly due to an interest in covering Imperialism and Colonialism. I agree that the book was a lot shorter than I was anticipating and the first thing that struck me was the level of description given to each object or location. I feel fortunate that I have visited several African countries and felt propelled right back to the Dark continent on reading those passages.

I didn't think it was an easy read however and I read it over the course of a week in multiple short bursts, often covering some pages twice to ensure that I was taking it in.

The journey was fascinating and of the time that it was written I wouldn't imagine that too many people would have wanted to experience such hardship. I really enjoyed the characterisation though and Marlow shone through as an inspirational gentleman. I thoroughly recommend it and intend to read it again shortly to consolidate some points further.

Simeon Prowse

[lady_charlie]

Better late than never - I am struggling to finish this book since I really only read a few minutes at a time when I can't sleep at night and so I generally read lighter stuff.

I am keeping at it because someone told me this is actually the book that Francis Ford Coppola used as the model for Apocalypse Now, which I found interesting.

I remember my parents going to see that film and they did not go to see films.

The neighbors took me to see WIlly Wonka and my sister took me to see Cinderella and those were the only movies I saw in a theatre as a child, yet inexplicably my parents went to see this.

I have still never seen it but if I ever finish this book I might rent it.

[Danielle_63]

The journey with Marlow down the river is both exciting and disturbing. Exciting for Marlow in that this is his first sojourn into a place he has never been. This is first assignment with the trading company and he is eager to prove himself. His is soon fraught with peril as the savages assault the steamer with arrows, frightening both him and his crew. Later the breakdown of his steamer delays his return to civilization for weeks.
What is disturbing is the way the savages are treated by the company. They are expected to bear all the heavy burdens of the trip and to live without the comforts of their white counterparts. Their lives are expendable as long as there is ivory to be had.
Although Marlow seems to be appalled at the treatment of the savages and Kurtz's bizarre behavior, he does nothing to try to improve their plight. In the end he lies to Kurtz's girlfriend when he tells her Kurtz's last words were her name. The reader can only wonder why Marlow chose to lie. Perhaps he was trying to shield the girlfriend from the fact that Kurtz died insane and ranting.

[Williamz]

The story is narrated aboard a yawl, a type of sailing boat, not a tugboat.
Marlow's tale is based on Conrad's own experience in the Congo Free State, the private colony owned by King Leopold II of Belgium, which preceded the establisment of the Belgian Congo. The novel was published years before the Belgian Congo came into existence

-- 08 Apr 2013, 03:16 --

Central to the story is the character of Kurtz, even though he is only introduced late in the story, and dies before he offers much insight into his existence or what he has become. Marlow's relationship with Kurtz and what he represents to Marlow is really at the crux of the novel.
The book seems to suggest that we are not able to understand the darkness that has affected Kurtz's soul--certainly not without understanding what he has been through in the jungle. Taking Marlow's point of view, we glimpse from the outside what has changed Kurtz so irrevocably from the European man of sophistication to something far more frightening

[yahr12]

This book is terrible, by the end of the novel the only thing that I could say was "What the f*ck was that all about it." because literally throughout the entire novel you keep expecting Marlow to get some grand realization about slavery, imperialism, something!? but no it was all just useless imagery about the freaking river, no joke he describes the river to a desert twice... twice!, and I'm just sitting there reading this trying to get through the 200 pages. The most action that happens in this book is when the steamboat is attacked by some tribespeople and even that is downplayed, although someone actually died, but apparently the guy who died didn't actually matter since he was black.

This book is considered a masterpiece and some people say that it is written beautifully, they are all wrong, I can write better then this old twat, and don't even get me going into how racist the book is. Every black person is called savage and I guess Conrad thinks that Africans are also cannibals.

My advice is to to never read the book, I was forced to read this crime against humanity for school and now I wish I had just used SparkNotes for it. If you want to learn anything about African Culture or imperialism then read Things Fall Apart by Achebe.