Heart of Darkness

Rating:
Summary: Complicated, Ambiguous, but Unarguably Interesting
Review: A good amount of what you may have heard about Heart of Darkness is true: yes, the novel was the inspiration for the movie Apocalypse Now, yes it is tremendously dense, and yes several reads are probably necessary to even approach a unified view of the novel's theme and structure. Conrad's loosely plotted story of a sailor's trip into Africa and into the savage heart of human darkness is confusing, complicated, but thought provoking.

My experience with Heart of Darkness was frustrating, but ultimately I enjoyed the novel. Conrad certainly takes an interesting view to Colonialism, avoiding (albeit because of his own biases) too much of a sympathetic view of the African's situation. However, he is quick and harsh in his condemnation of European society.

Stylistically, Conrad is seen as one of the master's of the English language - I feel that he can and should be seen as a genius. The novel is short (more accurately it is a novella) but layered with meaning. The symbolism, although at times obvious, is well integrated into the story and keeps the reader's mind moving. The narrator, who is only partially reliable, adds a whole new layer of complexity to the story. And of course, the enigmatic purpose of his trip - a dark hunt for an ivory trader gone bad - is fairly interesting.

However, a reader expecting a concise moral at the end will be sorely disappointed: much contemporary criticism of the novel questions Conrad's effective use of theme. The novella clearly indicts every man; however, Conrad seems to offer no alternative to darkness and evil; at least in my reading experience I found the book to bring out the negative in life without any constructive remarks. Of course, the novella is confusing enough to allow for many different perspectives.

In addition, Conrad's diction can be intimidating (keep a dictionary near by), and a reader will defiantly benefit from a discussion of the book and its themes with a friend. However, patience and rereading will defiantly pay off. If nothing else, the bragging rights of having made it through Heart of Darkness may make it worth the read.

Heart of Darkness, at times beautifully written, at times confusingly put together, will defiantly challenge you - the thematic reward however may not equal the time put into it. I recommend approaching the book as a puzzle to be solved, not as an answer to your most compelling questions about life. In the end, Heart of Darkness feels like an amazing technical performance but with ironically no heart - like watching a graceful dancer just "going through the moves".

Rating:
Summary: Missed Meaning.
Review: Many readers miss the actual meaning of Heart of Darkness. The novella is about what if a European secret society pre-selected a charismatic totalitarian facist leader, and this same individual died of malaria in the remote jungle years before he could assume power?

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Psychological Journey
Review: The Heart of Darkness is a psychological journey into man's love/lust for and attachment to a savage and surreal wildnerness. The book is filled with exquisite imagery, and each scene's tone is indelibly set by the surroundings. It is also a commentary on colonialism in Conrad's day. I am not as well veresed on this subject as I would have liked to have been before reading the book, but I found the story fully comprehensible and enjoyable even in this regard. The book is a definiate vocabulary builder.

Rating:
Summary: Depth of Ideas Adds to the Darkness
Review: In Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, Marlow, a quiet sailor, sets out on the Congo River to meet Kurtz, a man who is said to be of great abilities. The entire story centers around Marlow and everything he encounters on this trip. This story is one of courage and strength, and it is one that I enjoyed very much. However, the depth of the story is what truly makes it an excellent one.

While the plot of the story is a complex one, the themes and symbols really make the story. Any person could read the story and understand that Marlow joins the Company, after receiving help from his aunt, travels down the Congo, and experiences the civilization of the natives there. He is trying to get to a man named Kurtz, who is well known in the area. Kurtz civilizes the natives by using brutality. Many mini dramas occur as Marlow is traveling through the African jungle, but in the end Marlow finds that he got himself into a little more than he bargained for, and he also learns how brutal the Company has been to the natives, particularly Kurtz who thinks they should "kill the brutes."

The themes, however, reach beyond the simple good versus evil. The book explores imperialism and the hypocrisy surrounding it. What members of the company call "civilizing the natives," is truly abuse of power. The members of the company use their stature against the natives, in order to get what they want: ivory. Also, madness is greatly illustrated in the book. Mental illness, as well as physical, occurs throughout the book to Kurtz, and it leads the reader to sympathize with the character. The madness is linked to the imperialistic power that Kurtz has. The only person that Kurtz has to answer to himself, and in the end that becomes more than he can bear.

In the novella, there are several symbols, which add to the complexity of the story. One such symbol is darkness. Darkness is illustrated throughout the book in imagery, metaphor, and simile. The darkness is a symbol for the cruelty and imperialistic ideas that the Company has. The members of the Company treat the natives like they aren't human. They don't see value in the natives therefore they don't truly understand life in the Congo. They are there to gratify their greedy consciences, not to help another people.

Fog is a symbol that plays hand in hand with darkness. It doesn't completely hide something from the reader or character's eyes. It simply distorts what is being seen. Fog in the story is used to lead the reader to making an inference, and then realizing that they were wrong. The use of fog keeps the reader hanging on because they want to try to figure out what is happening, just like the characters are trying to find their way.

The many themes and symbols truly add to The Heart of Darkness. The novella represents a vast variety of complex ideas that are exposed and described in Marlow's tale. Marlow is a strong character, who has great courage, but the author's usage of metaphor, theme, and symbol is what truly made this novella enjoyable for me.

In Heart of Darkness Marlow, a quiet sailor, sets out on the Congo River to meet Kurtz, a man who is said to be of great abilities. The entire story centers around Marlow and everything he encounters on this trip. This story is one of courage and strength, and it is one that I enjoyed very much. However, the depth of the story is what truly makes it an excellent one.

While the plot of the story is a complex one, the themes and symbols really make the story. Any person could read the story and understand that Marlow joins the Company, after receiving help from his aunt, travels down the Congo, and experiences the civilization of the natives there. He is trying to get to a man named Kurtz, who is well known in the area. Kurtz civilizes the natives by using brutality. Many mini dramas occur as Marlow is traveling through the African jungle, but in the end Marlow finds that he got himself into a little more than he bargained for, and he also learns how brutal the Company has been to the natives, particularly Kurtz who thinks they should "kill the brutes."

The themes, however, reach beyond the simple good versus evil. The book explores imperialism and the hypocrisy surrounding it. What members of the company call "civilizing the natives," is truly abuse of power. The members of the company use their stature against the natives, in order to get what they want: ivory. Also, madness is greatly illustrated in the book. Mental illness, as well as physical, occurs throughout the book to Kurtz, and it leads the reader to sympathize with the character. The madness is linked to the imperialistic power that Kurtz has. The only person that Kurtz has to answer to himself, and in the end that becomes more than he can bear.

In the novella, there are several symbols, which add to the complexity of the story. One such symbol is darkness. Darkness is illustrated throughout the book in imagery, metaphor, and simile. The darkness is a symbol for the cruelty and imperialistic ideas that the Company has. The members of the Company treat the natives like they aren't human. They don't see value in the natives therefore they don't truly understand life in the Congo. They are there to gratify their greedy consciences, not to help another people.

Fog is a symbol that plays hand in hand with darkness. It doesn't completely hide something from the reader or character's eyes. It simply distorts what is being seen. Fog in the story is used to lead the reader to making an inference, and then realizing that they were wrong. The use of fog keeps the reader hanging on because they want to try to figure out what is happening, just like the characters are trying to find their way.

The many themes and symbols truly add to The Heart of Darkness. The novella represents a vast variety of complex ideas that are exposed and described in Marlow's tale. Marlow is a strong character, who has great courage, but the author's usage of metaphor, theme, and symbol is what truly made this novella enjoyable for me.

Rating:
Summary: In the Savage Garden
Review: English was not Conrad's first language, which makes this accomplishment all the more amazing. Heart of Darkness is a short book - but not a fast read. The prose is thick and making your way through it is like going up the River itself. However, this is done on purpose - it is part of the journey. Every sentence has meaning and every word has a purpose. The story is about the Journey itself, so that by the time you (and it is you) reach Kurtz, you understand him.

A lot of those who read this now are Apocalypse Now fans, and that is all well and good - but just don't expect any "Charlie don't surf" lines here. This is a pessimistic novel about the descent of man, the darkness of human nature, and the existential abysses that men may fall into.

Rating:
Summary: deepest, darkest hearts of us all...
Review: The Heart of Darkness was certainly not what I had expected - for such a slender book, it was mighty deep. On the surface, it is the tale of an Englishman venturing into the "depths" of the Congo, the separation of "civilized" European lifestyle growing as the principal character travels deeper and deeper into "primitive" Africa.

The cultural comparisons and ethical and moral issues the book raises are why the book is regarded as a classic - no answers are given, rather the reader is invited to determine who is the more civilized - the greedy and pugnatious colonists, or the half-clad Africans.

The imagery vivid, although I found the writing itself to be a bit hard to follow - the monologue of the narrator and principal character, Marlowe can be a bit difficult to follow - hence the 4 stars. A worthwhile read if only to wrestle with the issue of civility and morality.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Book of Literature
Review: After looking at the negative reviews written by high school students who probably listen to MTV and eat sugar all day and have names like Gina, Tabitha, and Bunny, I found it ironic that their comments should perhaps dissuade young people from taking this book up. This book is a work of art, and it is written in a style that is intended to examine the mind of a man, for those of you too confused by this, I suggest you keep reading Anne Rice.

Rating:
Summary: We all know by now Conrad had a large vocabulary....
Review: This certainly wasn't the worst book that I have ever read but I did not find it enjoyable. I did enjoy Conrad's eccentric use of verbatim but felt like he went overboard in some parts. Being wordy is ok as long as you don't go beyond the line of a reader's attention span. I felt like I was losing the plot and the meaning in his existential descriptions. I would only recommend this novella for those with long attention spans and can sift through vast expanses of words and come out with a general meaning.

Rating:
Summary: Heart Of darkness
Review: After reading this book, I was sort of disappointed. I guess I was expecying a bit more action, rather than so much detail. Some people like the idea of detailing and description. To me this book has too much description, and the paragraphs seem to just go on and on. I often had to go back to read the paragraph or page again just to understand it. After watching Apocalypse now, I actually understood the book version a whole lot better. The main character still narrates the story but it helped me to have a visual to understand what was going on. This book is not terrible but the book was difficult for me to read and understand completely.

Rating:
Summary: Heart Of Darkness
Review: Heart of Darkness is a novella that really needs to be read more than just once to fully appreciate Conrad's style of writing. The story is an account of one man's simultaneous journey into the darkness of a river as well as into the shadows of a madman's mind. There is a very brilliant flow of foreshadowing that Conrad brings to his writing that provides the reader with accounts of the time period and the horrible events to come. Through Conrad's illuminating writing style we slowly see how the narrator begins to understand the madness or darkness that surrounds him.

I recommend this particular version of the novella because it contains a variety of essays, which discusses some of the main issues in the reading and historical information. Issues like racism and colonialism are discussed throughout many essays. It also contains essays on the movie inspired by the book Apocalypse Now, which is set against the background of the Vietnam War. I recommend reading Heart of Darkness and then viewing Apocalypse Now, especially in DVD format which contains an interesting directors commentary.