Heart of Darkness

Didn't grab my heart

I'm somewhat torn. The English Major in me would really like to give this book a higher rating. The reader in me has a hard time doing so.

I thought that approaching it a second time as a seasoned English Major would result in a better perspective. Admittedly, I think I got more out of the plot this time and see much more depth and symbolism in the book...but I still found myself struggling to stay awake at times.

What's sad is that this is not necessarily a slow paced or boring book. It's filled with exploration, political intrigue, violent deaths, savage attacks and other moments of suspense and tension. And yet, it is also filled with lengthy monologues on the nature of man and the perspectives of our narrator Marlow (who is actually a secondary narrator if you want to get technical, since he's telling the story to an unnamed narrator who appears very little in the book at all...a very strange setup).

The craft or structure of this novel is intriguing and I suspect is a large reason why this is such a classic. As I mentioned briefly above, the narrative style is a little different. The "official" narrator of the book is an unnamed man sitting on a boat. However, the meat of the story is actually told by another man on the boat (Marlow) who is actually telling this story to our unnamed narrator. There are also segments where Marlow is re-telling something someone else said to him or something he read, thus leaving us three or four times removed from the actual events of the story. His spoken narrative is also sometimes a little disjointed and sometimes conversational as though he's lost his train of thought while telling the story or he's distracted or interrupted by something or someone on the ship with our actual narrator.

The book is full of symbolism and allusion. It can definitely be taken as a commentary on many different aspects of Africa, colonialism, Imperialism, savagery, humanity, principles, beliefs, truths, and many other high level themes. However, the book doesn't seem to come up with any concrete answers about any of these and even leaves us in the darkness as to exactly which commentary we should be paying attention to. Truly, many social commentaries leave off just short of prescribing a plan of action, but they generally make their arguments fairly clear. In the case of Heart of Darkness, I feel like I came away more muddled than when I began. Yes, I acknowledge that oppression of so-called savages is not to be condoned, but I knew that ahead of time...and honestly, I'm not entirely sure that oppression is the core meaning of the novel.

I appreciate that this novel has depth to it that I don't understand. It's definitely a difficult novel that's hard to truly access. It's high level plot and themes are intriguing, but I don't feel that they stand well enough on their own to warrant an outrageous following. In order to truly appreciate this book, I feel that it requires very in-depth study and discussion of weeks or months. Maybe I'm just looking for too much, and if that's the case, then my view of the book goes down even more. Maybe I'm just obtuse and missing the point, which means my review is unfortunately lower than it should be.

Whatever the reason, I don't love this novel and don't anticipate reading it again. If somebody else reads it and loves it and wants to discuss it with me and turn me around, I'd gladly open a discussion, but for now, I stick by my rating.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

YOU MUST READ! But only with help...

The Book Heart of Darkness was a very well thought out story. I would not have understood any of the book without someone to guide me through, but when someone guided me then it made sense to me. I would not recommend this book to anyone in high school or even college unless you have someone who has experience and can explain the book to you. There is a crew on a ship called the Nellie Waiting for the tide of the Thames River to push them out to sea. One of the crew members names is Marlow, and he is telling a story about his experience in Africa. The reason this book was confusing to me is beacuse there are two stories being told at the same time. This book changed the way I read books beacuse it makes you pay attention to every littkle detail in books and it takes you to another level.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A tale to remember

I thought that Heart of Darkness was an exceptional book that tells a story about the author’s trip to Africa. I was not sure if I was going to like it or not, until I was half way through the book, because Conrad does a lot of describing and it was a little hard to understand at first. The detail in the book is a key element because it paints a vivid picture for the reader. If reading this book I think that you should go paragraph by paragraph to analyze everything. This book has a touching ending that makes you really think about life. In the beginning of the book Conrad gives a unique perspective by making the narrator of the story the reader. As he wrote it he made a Russian doll effect, by making the reader tell the story to Marlow on a boat and of the story of Marlow’s trip to Africa. I didn’t like how Conrad jumped back between the atmosphere on the boat and what happened in the narration. I think it was hard in the beginning to tell which one was which. In order for Conrad to tell this chronicle in only seventy seven pages and pack a trip that took him a couple months, he had to make some fragment sentences. I think this was necessary but I didn’t like it. The beginning of the book was hard to get through because of the intense detail and futility. When it got closer to the end it was very intriguing and suspenseful. When I first started reading the book I predicted that the sea and the city London would have a big role in the upcoming events. Conrad describes it as a magnificent object that the crew looks up to. Conrad also describes London as a dark gloomy place and I thought that later in the story the “darkness” that they have left behind and the “heart” is the sea of the men’s travels. This was not exactly true but I think there are many “Heart’s of Darkness’” but the main one is the forest being the darkness and how it took over Kurtz’s heart. Overall this was a great story that everyone should read in there lifetime.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Challenging and rather dry to read

Joseph Conrad has a very unique, deep style of writing that forces the reader to look past the surface meaning of the book. In doing this, as a reader, you mustn't just read Heart of Darkness as if it were a normal book, you have to stop and analyze each and every sentence. If you were to just go through the book and not process the deeper meaning of each sentence then you're leaving out the most vital information. On that note, I would like to say that Heart of Darkness is a wonderful piece of literature to read in a class room environment. This is because the book challenges the mind of the reader and requires their full attention in order for them to understand the book. It also teaches the students many other literary terms. BUT, if you are looking for a book to read for pleasure, this is definitely not the book for you. As stated before Heart of Darkness requires you to analyze each and every sentence, this causes most people to lose interest in the book, including me. So, due to the fact that this is such a challenging piece of literature I would only recommend it if you were in a classroom setting.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A nice Challenge

Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, was originally published in 1899.
This book is a mystery where the captain of a steamboat, Marlow, needs to find the rapidly deteriorating Kurtz who has delved deep into the center of the ivory trade. Marlow captains his steamboat up the Congo River in the late nineteenth century encountering new experiences as he goes along on his journey to find the Kurtz who at this time he idolizes.
The story progresses quickly, as it is a novella, but because of this it can also be difficult to understand. Though it does progress quickly it does follow through without detours. In the novel the characters also change in their own ways. Marlow, who is also the narrator, changes his viewpoints and ideas of the world. Meanwhile Kurtz has been dwelling in the jungle and has changed everything to a complete opposite of what he was before. The jungle has almost reverted him to a more primitive human having a "heart of darkness" from the evil dealings in which he has partaken. The novella follows through these changes and helps a reader understand the plight of people turning to vices during this period when there is no structure.
As the narrator is a captain, the novella is written in an English maritime style of writing using diction of the seas. The novel contains many nautical terms, which may confuse some readers but with patience they could be understood. This diction helps set the mood of being on a ship and helps the reader come close to living the story.
I think most high school students would be able to read this book, although more reluctant readers will have a little more trouble wading through the diction and following the story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Heart of the Matter

My advanced high school English course read Heart of Darkness this school year. At first look, the book appeared to be dull and uninteresting. After learning about Joseph Conrad's life as a seaman, I couldn't expect any less than a book about a seaman's adventure. Needless to say I was wrong about my first assumption. Old as it may be, this enlightening story is far from tedious.
As we began reading the book, we started with some background notes. We made predictions and all I could draw from the book at that point was that it would be about an adventure at sea. We also questioned why Conrad used a quote from Rumplestiltskin as an epigram at its beginning. I figured out after reading it that he put it there to set the moral of the story; a human life is worth more than all the riches in the world.
The story is set with Marlow, the main character, on the boat. He is talking about his adventure to meet the incomparable Mr. Kurtz, to his other shipmates and us the readers. The things he saw and the people he met filled this lively journey in to the heart of darkness. That being said, my one prediction was definitely being met while reading this book.
As Marlow, the main character's, story unraveled paragraph by paragraph I started to understand what mental torture he was going through. It's a story you have to read slowly to get every single clue. Every part of the puzzle is crucial to understand this particular work of literature. I must say that it made an impact on me. It sharpened my reading comprehension skills and made other books much simpler in comparison. I know for sure that I will remember it, as I get older. I would most certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a complex book to challenge them, and the movie as a companion.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Hear of Darkness

The book to me was okay. I mean if you like a book that sounds like a poem all the way threw it then it's probably going to be a book for you. Other than that the book was good. I like the story of a man who is trying to get a job but ends up fighting for his life. When I first read the title Heart Of Darkness I thought it was going to be about something totally different. But see surprise can be a good thing and in this case it was.

but one thing about the book i liked was that i couldn't really connect with the book. because alot of books i read i can. so maybe it was the fact that i chose a book i dont' usually read to read instead.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

heart of darkness? more like heart of boredom...

After reading the first chapter of Heart of Darkness, I was left half-asleep, bored, and confused. I had predicted that I would grow to love the book and that Conrad¿s intense way of putting things would help me become a more analytical reader, but honestly as I continued to read the book, the more uninterested and baffled I became. The book followed a story set in Africa, on a river labeled the Congo. The story is recollected by a sea captain named Marlow, who told the story while on a ship in the Thames River. Marlow went to Africa to take command of a ship that was responsible for transporting ivory. He discovered some insane stuff in Africa stuff that changed his life. He befriended cannibals, obsessed over a man, had his ship sunk by his own boss, watched a newfound friend get stabbed through the chest then killed, and he even went a little crazy. Sounds like fun right? Wrong. Like I stated earlier, the story is dull and hard to read. The novel is also filled with much futility, and I think that¿s one of the main reasons that I loathed it so terribly much. For example, Marlow obsessed over meeting Kurtz, an agent for the company who collected more ivory than all the others combined. Marlow¿s consumed with desire to meet Kurtz, because he is convinced that they are alike. Not only does he find out that Kurtz is horrible, but Kurtz died almost right after we met him. Another thing that happened in vain, was them blowing up a hill for absolutely no reason. It was basically just busy work to keep the slaves active. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and everybody has different ideas on what is pointless and what isn¿t. When it comes to my opinion on the book, straight up I will tell you that I hate it and it¿s horrible and I wish this torture upon no one. But hey, somebody out there might actually enjoy the story so the best way to find out if it¿s the right book for you or not, would be to pick up the narrative and ignore my views on it and form your own opinion. Have fun!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Horror! The Horror!

A moral journey and an account of how lust for power overpowered one man's soul, heart of darkness is without a doubt one of the greatest stories ever written. Conrad has a command over words similar to Joyce, and some passages are so poetic they make you gasp. This is especially amazing considering English was his third language! Not only is it thought-provoking and meaningful as a parable, but it is also an absorbing read strictly as an adventure story. The most common complaint I've heard about this book is its wordiness. However, in my opinion no extraneous words are included, every one contributes to the nightmare-like atmosphere. If you want succinct writing that says nothing, give up and read Hemingway. If you can't understand this, you shouldn't be criticizing it. That said, this is a truly great book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good Storytelling

I felt I was sitting across from Marlow, who is telling the story of his experience in the Congo. This novel is different from most in that it is written so that the reader is listening to someone's story related rather than the reader feeling s/he is there as the story happens. The style matches that of someone telling you his experience as you listen. This makes the style somewhat choppy and sometimes confusing as to who is speaking, the narrator or another character. Nonetheless, I found myself gripped by the tale. I read the book in one sitting.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not for the feignt of heart

The reading feint of heart that is. If you can't get through the first two chapters of this, you will never read the book. It also takes the ability to visualize beyond the words, read between the lines and place yourself back in the late 1890's with its style of writing and the age they lived in.

All that being said, this is a tremendous work, well worth the effort.

And of course, once you've read it, you will see where Francis Ford Coppola got his inspiration from for Apocalypse Now.

Boring

This book is very boring !!!

Summer reading requierment

From the frist few words in the book i didnt want to read anymore. It took months to finsh this really short book. At times it did get some what less boring, but for the most part it draging on and on.
I would have not read this on my own free will. Maybe its just because of my age and im not old enoght to understand the "great stroy" that others have claimed it to be.
It was a complet waste of a summer.

A study in darkness

Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a relatively short but dense story full of dread and awe. The novella evoked similar feelings from meas 19th century gothic novels like The Italian by Radcliff and The Castle of Otranto by Walpole. There is even a little bit of otherworldliness to the story similar to H. P. Lovecraft stories, particularly in the character of Kurtz.

The novella is separated into three sections, each of which addresses a different form of darkness with each successive section becoming more terrifying (I'm using the old 19th century gothic sense of the word, see Ann Radcliffe's "On the Supernatural in Poetry"). In the first section, the darkness addresses the mystery of the the unknown jungles of the Congo river basin. This darkness is more adventurous and even inviting. It is the type of darkness that has drawn explorers across time to discover new lands and peoples and fill in those blank spaces on the map. The second section addresses the darkness of African colonialization. In this section we get to see the horrible and dark actions of one group of people against a weaker. The final section is more personal and perhaps the darkest as it explores the individual's capacity for internal darkness.

With only a few paragraphs at the beginning and end of the novella, the entire book is narrated by Marlow and therefore takes on the speech patterns and idioms of an English river-boat captain. Consequently the writing style is a little hard to follow at times. One has to pay special attention as well as Marlow tends to jump forwards and backwards with no transition.

Heart of Darkness is a novella that will stick with me for quite some time to come. I anticipate it will be a book I read more than once in the coming years. If you enjoy 19th century gothic novels, Kafka, or Lovecraft I believe you will find much to like in this book.

Fabulious

this a good book and it has a good story to it

Not so enjoyable.

Heart of Darkness was clearly written by a secretive man who couldn't get his ducks in a row. Through his writing, he displays confusing-to-grasp information that even has confusing information behind its own confusing meaning. What I mean is this: Personally, I like facts set in front of me on a silver platter. They are well seen, well spoken, well thought of, and I can take it and move on. When Joseph Conrad wrote this novel, he set it up as a mystery for readers and critics alike, so that only he himself would hold the secret behind every word. This, to me, is not the way a novel should be written, but instead a diary. While reading this book, I caught myself drifting off countless numbers of times, unsure of where we were and what was going on. I had a clear view of the scenery in my head, but I just couldn't get the characters there with it. I just couldn't believe that something like this could actually happen somewhere, I refused to. I enjoy books that grasp my attention and hold it, and though Joseph Conrad was stupendous at setting the scene and having a vast vocabulary, I just feel that this was not set out for me. Honestly, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is in the same boat as me. If you prefer enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon in your lazy boy, reading a book and sipping tea, this book is not for you. However, if you are interested in critical thinking through every paragraph and spending hours at a time trying deciphering was being said... enjoy.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly recommended for literature lovers

In Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses many literary devices that drive the reader through a deep and intricate path of symbolism. Just as Marlow is lead through a winding journey in Africa. Readers are lead, by Conrad's imagination, through the intricate and "wild" pages. Conrad describes the event of Charlie Marlow's trip, travelling deep into the heart of Africa on the Congo River. Conrad expresses, through vivid descriptions, the accounts of Marlow living in a dark and dangerous place. Marlow finds himself in search of a man called by the name Kurtz. Throughout passages, Kurtz is seen as a near godly figure to the men in which Marlow speaks to. Conrad also mentions Kurtz's fiancée or his "intended" as perhaps a visual to display that Kurtz has a heart and a love. In Heart of Darkness, packed full of symbolism, Conrad shows the savage nature in man when he is thrust into the danger zone. As Kurtz is found in the depths of Africa, living more savage than man, it causes depression for Marlow. The idol he had previously looked forward to meeting now sported the heads of his enemies placed atop his buildings. Also while encountering Kurtz and his "savage" army, Marlow learns of Kurtz's infatuation of a native female. This may show how skewed Kurtz's heart has become, to forget his love at home. Following the arrival of Marlow's steamboat, was an attack of Natives obeying Kurtz's orders. Though this book contains no beacon of hope for mankind, I found it enjoyable. Reader that find entertainment in deeply woven literary devices should consider reading the Heart of Darkness. Readers should be able to comprehend deeper meaning than simply what is written, this novel will be very enticing if readers are willing to be active readers.

Challenging but Thought-Provoking Read

Heart of Darkness is an adventure novel and frame narrative by Joseph Conrad and was published by J. M. Dent & Sons, Ltd. in 1902 (month unknown). Heart of Darkness is Marlow's story of his epic and eye-opening adventure into the heart of Africa. Marlow signs as an ivory trader with a Belgian company during the height of great European imperialism. As he voyages through the extensive Belgian Congo, he witnesses the grave atrocities colonists have committed against black natives. He finds them receiving appalling treatment, starved and slaving for their captors. Throughout his expedition, he hears exciting stories of fellow ivory trader Kurtz, who appears larger-than-life. However, upon meeting him, he discovers Kurtz's obsession with ivory, which has turned into savagery. Joseph Conrad's main purpose in writing Heart of Darkness-and Marlow's reason for recounting his experiences-is to explain the horrors of imperialism. Marlow's disgust of European imperialist reflects author Joseph Conrad's view that imperialism is hypocritical. Imperialists view the African natives as savages, and justify their colonization of African lands by stressing the need to civilize them. This attitude, however, contradicts the Europeans' savage treatment of natives, making them slave for their captives or starve. Although Heart of Darkness is thoroughly thought-provoking (and less than a hundred pages), actually reading the novella is a challenge. Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness in turn-of-the-century Britain, and the diction can be painfully hard to understand. Reading this book is like trudging through thick molasses, because of its tedium and difficulty. Because of this, Heart of Darkness is not recommended for casual or light readers, and is most suitable for high school seniors or college students. However, this challenge can be rewarding to the student serious about exploring influential and meaningful literature.

A classic...unfortunately

I have yet to meet anyone who enjoyed reading Heart of Darkness. Perhaps that's the natural result of its being required reading for most high school students, but while I'm sure that has something to do with it, I'm inclined to think it's really just not a very enjoyable book.

There's so much build up, so much traveling into the heart of the Congo, that by the time I got to the climax of the book, I was almost asleep with boredom. I probably would've been entirely asleep if I hadn't been busy reading into the so-called symbolism flooding the novel. (Flies aren't just flies! No. They must be symbolic of gadflies, whose job it is to sting man's conscience with reports of injustice.)

The whole book is such a heavy handed allegory for the darkness of the human heart that even the book's inclusion of one of my favorite themes---human nature in the absence of civilization---couldn't make me enjoy the read. In fact, the only reason I'm glad I read it is so I could laugh at all the Heart of Darkness allusions in the movie Apocalypse Now. This is certainly a classic, but anyone forced to read it has my sympathy.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Still Haunting

Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness is a dark and haunting tale about the search for a substantial and mysteriously powerful man named Mr. Kurtz. Mr. Kurtz is a well-known man who has achieved a distinguished reputation for maintaining the ivory trade. His intelligence, persuasiveness, and cruelty are all characteristics that have produced his unbelievably amoral power. How can it be possible for a man to move into an unknown territory and build himself a foundation of power that sparks fear and yet simultaneously generates loyalty in less than a lifetime? Mr. Kurtz's ambition is driven by his "fascination with the abomination" (20). He has goals that he wants to achieve and he uses every means possible to obtain authority. In addition, his genius combined with his desire for power produces an unstoppable monster that consumes him. But, it can also consume anyone who has tasted the indulgence of omnipotence. The world of power and evil can be very enticing, and it can lure any man who has felt its pleasure. Mr. Kurtz isolates himself inside the heart of Africa, and his acquisition of power causes his moral sympathies and emotions to dwindle.

Mr. Kurtz is a well-known man whose name, when mentioned, flashes images of ruthlessness and domination. Everyone in the ivory trade knew of Mr. Kurtz. The brickmaker at the Central Station states, "[Kurtz] is a prodigy . . . He is an emissary of pity and science and progress, and devil knows what else" (47). Kurtz is highly reputable, and he displays leadership skills that few men have successfully achieved. Kurtz's future could be magnificent if he simply leaves Africa to return home to his country. He could live a life of luxury by selling his ivory in Europe. The company's Chief Accountant remarks, "He will be a somebody in the Administration before long. They, above -- the Coun-cil in Europe, you know -- mean him to be" (38). Mr. Kurtz chooses, however, to live in the jungles of Africa where he posseses god-like powers. His decision to live in a mysterious jungle where cannibals dwell, and where the conveniences of a civilized society are inexistent is one that is extremely extraordinary. His desire for power seems to outweigh any other personal need such as comfort and luxury, emotion and feeling such as love, and communication and contact with people of his kind. Marlow, the man who searches for Mr. Kurtz, asks him, "Do you know what you are doing?" Mr. Kurtz replies, "Perfectly" (106). Mr. Kurtz is totally confident in himself, but he does not realize what is truly happening to him.

Mr. Kurtz is an evil man, yet he is said to be "remarkable" by several people in the story. Is Mr. Kurtz a man to be honored for his outstanding achievements? Or does his evil deeds in obtaining power classify him as a madman? Mr. Kurtz used much violence to obtain his power. He "raided the country," (92) frightening natives into following him. He threatened to shoot his friend, the harlequin man, for keeping ivory. He maintained his power by desiring "to have kings meet him at railway-stations on his return from some ghastly Nowhere" (110). Mr. Kurtz communicates only to gain power, and he does so by condescending others. He feels that he is superior to everyone else, and he tries to eliminate all opposition. Mr. Kurtz may have unlimited power, but in the process of obtaining power it seemed that he has lost all of his heart.