Conrad Essay Topic

As the birthplace of all of humanity Africa represents the heart of darkness for all of humanity, rather than just Conrad's supressed protagonist Marlow.

Karl

By using Freud's theory of secret wishes Karl connects Kurtz and Africa to Marlow and even Conrads inner most darkest desires. Stating that dreams can show us what our subconscious wants and what we unconsciously desire, Karl shows us that Conrad and Freud have more in common than their obsession with darkness. By penetrating into the wild abyss that is Africa Marlow is thrown into the dark realm of the id much like Freud who delves into darkness through dreams and nightmares. Karl further emphasized Conrad's connection to darkness through his literary works. By writing about someone as revolting and yet intriguing as Kurtz, Conrad demonstrates his secret wishes and allows them to show in his pieces.

Murfin

After reading Murfin I am more of a believer of Freudian theories. I loved how Murfin stated that we are all "Freudians" whether we know it or not. We all abide by the rules of super ego, ego and id and we all possess those darknesses Freud's theories state. I definitely see the connection here between Heart of Darkness and Murfin. Marlow journey into Africa unconsciously knowing that his inner id was about to turn his world upside down. Murfin believes that this occured to Marlow because of the already mention theory that we all abide by Freudian principles whether we know of it or not.

Heart of Darkness Ending

I recently finished Heart of Darkness and I am extremely confused as to what the ending actually meant or entailed for that matter. Will Marlow go back into Africa to fulfill his inner darkness? Will Kurtz's "Intended" find herself falling for Marlow because of his connection to Kurtz's final wishes? The one thing I did understand about the end is that Marlow lies for what he sees as the well being of Kurtz's "Intended." I also understand that Marlow's obsession with Kurtz will stay with him for the rest of his life, something that lead me to believe that he might even end up with Kurtz's fiancé. I can't wait to further analyze the ending in class and get some clarity on Marlow's future and post Africa life.

Reading Post

I believe that I've come to enjoy reading a bit more all thanks to the iPad. Reading used to be such a hassle for me because I would get so bored and lost in a text but somehow reading on the iPad helps me find my place in the book and fully understand what is happening within whatever I am reading. The iPad is such a practical device when reading and I truly feel as though it has allowed me to enjoy reading again and hopefully even make it a hobby of mine!

Comment

The woman is an interesting figure to me. To me she represents what women are capable of when in the wild. They are beautiful beats full of subduction and vice something that Conrad connects with Freud's belief of women. Freud sees them as lustful seductresses.

Heart of Darkness Comment

I found it extremely interesting when the raider and his nephew were discussing the dying mules. This was then connected the officials sent into Africa! I loved this connection because it's so accurate. The men are shipped into Africa just as the mules are herded into a region and then eventually die out.

Marlow: Blacks are inferior

According to Marlow, Africans can't control their ids because they are uncivilized. This is relevant to Freud's belief of uncontrollable desires every human has that a society suppresses. Since African society is more wild and "barbaric" they are free to express their inner most darkest desires that whites can't. 

Marlow might even connote their skin tone to their darkness both moral and physical. White society has made the British "pure" and superior because their ids are controlled and restrained due to European society. 

Comment

I found it extremely interesting how he described the baren land and the settlements the English constructed. He was very negative.

HOD connection to Freud

Africa acts as Euope's playground that allows colonialists to fully fulfill their darkest and filthiest desires. By doing so the Europeans that penetrate into Africa's inner most sanctum reach their internal peak by fulfill sinful desire that their homeland of England would not allow. This connects to Freud because Freud states that society restrains its citizens and suppresses animalistic tendencies Freud states we naturally have since birth. This take over of a free and wild land by already restrained men demonstrates the human struggle to realeaese our inner beasts, something Freud believes we all contain in the deepest and darest realm of our minds.

Marlow's narration

As a sarcastic narrator Marlow makes the reader have to read between the lines countless times. One example is the scene where the map of Africa contains red.

HOD

After reading the next five pages I see how the author gets lost in the descriptions and details of his surroundings. The fundamentally brings the reader under some sort of long and lush trance.

Heart of Darkness

The beginning of Heart of Darkness sets the reader on a very long path towards a journey. By beginning with a snap shot of time , an anchoring ship, the author places an emphasis on stillness and allows the reader to take the situation into perspective and really become a part of the lavish and dangerous journey the author took when he went to Africa. The stillness of the ship at the beginning of the book personally gave me a foreshadowing of a glacial pace which I'm assuming the story will move at. Although the journey may span over several descriptive pages I've always been intrigued by this era of conquest and colonization in Africa which is why I'm extremely excited to get through the book.