ISU Outline: Heart Of Darkness.
Thesis: The Doctor from the beginning of Marlow’s quest expresses his interest in knowing how one’s sanity is affected once out in the waters, yet is it even possible to measure sanity in a world where sanity is completely disregarded? Following Marlow in his tale, it is plain to see that sanity does not have a part in the absurd tasks of the company peoples, the adventures of Kurtz, or the effects of living life in such a world.
Reason: Absurd tasks of the company peoples.
Example: “A heavy and dull detonation shook the ground, a puff of smoke came out of the cliff, and that was all. No change appeared on the face of the rock. They were building a railway. The cliff was not in the way or anything; but this objectless blasting was all the work going on.” (Conrad, 42)
Example: “I avoided a vast artificial hole somebody had been digging on the slope, the purpose of which I found it impossible to divine. It wasn’t a quarry or a sandpit, anyhow. It was just a hole.” (Conrad, 44)
Example: “One evening a grass shed full of calico, cotton print, beads, and I don’t know what else, burst into a blaze so suddenly that you would have thought the earth had opened to let an avenging fire consume all the trash. I was smoking my pipe quietly by my dismantled steamer, and saw them all cutting capers in the light, with their arms lifted high, when the stout man with moustaches came tearing down to the river, a tin pail in his hand, assured me that everybody was “behaving splendidly, splendidly”, dipped about a quart of water and tore back again. I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail.” (Conrad, 52)
Reason: The adventures of Kurtz.
Example: “He could be very terrible. You can’t judge Mr. Kurtz as you would an ordinary man. No, no, no! Now – just to give you an idea – I don’t mind telling you, he wanted to shoot me, too, one day – but I don’t judge him.” “Shoot you!” I cried. “What for?” “Well, I had a small lot of ivory the chief of that village near my house gave me. You see I used to shoot game for them. Well, he wanted it, and wouldn’t hear reason.” (Conrad, 95)
Reason: The effects of living life in such a world.
Example: Their headman, a young, broad-chested black, severely draped in dark-blue fringed cloths, with fierce nortils and his hair all done up artfully in oily ringlets, stood near me. “Aha!” I said, just for good fellowship’s sake. “Catch ‘im.” He snapped, with a bloodshot widening of his eyes and a flash of sharp teeth – “catch ‘im. Give ‘im to us.” “To you. Eh?” I asked; “what would you do with them?” “Eat ‘im!” he said, curtly, and, leaning his elbow on the rail, looked out into the fog in a dignified and profoundly pensive attitude.” (Conrad, 74)
Example: “It was the shaft of a spear that, either thrown or lunged thought the opening, had caught him in the side just below the ribs; the blade had gone in out of sight after making a frightful gash: my shoes were full; a pool of blood lay very still, gleaming dark-red under the wheel; his eyes shone with an amazing luster.” (+) “Can you steer?” I asked the agent eagerly. He looked very dubious; but I made a grab at his arm, and he understood at once I meant him to steer whether or no. To tell you the truth, I was morbidly anxious to change my shoes and socks.” (+) “As soon as I put on a dry pair of slippers, I dragged him out, after first jerking the spear out of his side…” (Conrad, 81-82)
komox37 said,
October 16, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
Sam,
This is excellent. I think you show insight into Conrad’s critique of the horrors of colonialism.
T 4
A 4
C 4
K 4