Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - Blog Post 4

The last part of Heart of Darkness takes place back in England when Marlow goes to see Kurtz's intended. Though it has been more than a year, she is still in mourning over her beloved Kurtz's death. Marlow narrates his encounter as it progresses and darkness sets in: "But with every word spoken the room was growing darker, and only her forehead, smooth and white, remained illuminated by the inextinguishable light of belief and love" (154).

As Kurtz's intended speaks about how great Kurtz was, the room begins to grow darker and darker around her and Marlow. The room is being plagued with talk of Kurtz, for he became a dark, corrupt, and hollow man as he lived in Africa. The darkness encloses around both Marlow and Kurtz's intended, yet the forehead of Kurtz's intended is still brightly "illuminated by the inextinguishable light of belief and love". The forehead is a sign of knowledge and belief, for it is where the brain is, which controls a person. The fact that her forehead is still illuminated even in encroaching darkness visually expresses how Kurtz's intended feels that she was enlightened by Kurtz and that she believed in him and loved him dearly. The fact that the light it "inextinguishable" conveys how Marlow sees that Kurtz's intended still has a passion for what she feels she learned from him.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - Blog Post 3

A new character that is introduced in this part of Heart of Darkness is a young man who is simply referred to as "the Russian" (132). He is first spotted on the bank in front of the station, where Marlow tells that "he looked like a harlequin" because of his brightly patched clothing (126). This association that is made between the Russian and a clownish, comedic figure sets up an air of innocence around him. This air of innocence is emphasized by the way Marlow describes him as the steamship pulls closer to the shore: "A beardless, boyish face, very fair" (126). The fact that the Russian is "beardless" and has a "boyish face" suggests that he is young, but not young enough to actually be a boy anymore. The observation that the Russian has "very fair" complexion conveys that he has not been in the sun much, presumably covered in the jungle for a long time. This also gives off an air of innocence, for the Russian looks as though he is not weathered and has not traveled much, but later he is told to have been lonely and traveling for quite some time. The knowledge that the Russian has done so much traveling and been so alone makes it strange but intriguing how a man like him can stay so youthful and innocent.

The Russian is also said to have had "smiles and frowns chasing each other over that open countenance like sunshine and shadow" (126).  The verb choice of "chasing" gives off a feeling of playfulness and joy as if the Russian's emotions are a game. The Russian's mood shifts back and forth from happy to sad quite often, as if running after itself one after another. The Russian is at times "like sunshine" - light and happy - and at times "like [...] shadow" - dark and morose; however, he is never both at once. His "open countenance" tells that his emotions can be easily read on his face; he is an open book.

Marlow also tells that the Russian has "no features to speak of" (126). He says this while describing the Russian outright, clearly pointing out features that he notices about the Russian, so saying that the Russian has "no features to speak of" is a strange statement; However, this may go along with the point that the Russian is never given a name, though he is quite important to the plot of the story. Giving this man a name would make him less of a mystery, for Marlow doubts "whether [he] had ever really seen him - whether it was possible to meet such a phenomenon" (140).

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - Blog Post 2

"He was there below me, and, upon my word, to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat, walking on it's hind legs" (Conrad 106).

In this quote, Marlow is describing an African man who was brought along to help run the steamship. Using one of his classic similes, Marlow compares the benefit of seeing the African man working to a "dog... walking on it's hind legs". This is an unnatural occurrence, for dogs are not meant to walk on two legs like people. Therefore, Marlow does not view this working African man as a natural occurrence. The dog in the "breeches and a feather hat" is parodying a person; However, dressing a dog in fancy clothes and standing him on two feet does not make a dog a person, just a humorous spectacle. This can be compared to Marlow's feeling that teaching an African how to work a steamship does not make him a European. This exposes Marlow's racism and his view that the African people are inferior to the Europeans, but are being made to act like they belong among them. In fact, Marlow later states that the African man "ought to have been clapping his hands and stamping his feet on the bank" (106). Marlow feels that the African man does not belong, and instead should be acting like the other Africans that the steamship passes. Also, while the African man is physically "below" Marlow on the steamship, he is also metaphorically below Marlow because he is seen as inferior to Europeans.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - Blog Post 1

"Lifting one arm from the elbow, the palm of the hand outwards, so that, with his legs folded before him, he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower" (Conrad 69).

Marlow is described to have "the pose of a Buddha" while he begins to recount his story to the other crew members of the ship. Though he has not yet told his story, there is a sense that he is full of knowledge and that he is trying to pass it on to those around him.

Marlow is in the same pose as Buddha, with the "palm of his hand outwards" and "his legs folded before him". The palm of his hand facing outwards represents how he is trying to open up about his experiences, however he is also crossing his legs, which can be viewed as him not wanting to open up or being anxious about doing so. Buddha is a religious figure of Buddhism. The word Buddha means "enlightened" or "awakened", and Marlow seems to have become enlightened and awakened after seeing and becoming a part of the horrors of imperialism.

It is also pointed out that Marlow is "Buddha preaching in European clothes". The European feel of Marlow is a contrast to the idea of him looking like and being like the Buddha in this moment. The idea of preaching brings to mind a church, a European concept, while the clothes are stated outright to be European. There seems to be a sharp juxtaposition of Eastern and Western culture that throws off the idea of Marlow being like the Buddha., due to the drastic differences between the East and West at the time this book was written

Marlow is said to be the "Buddha... without a lotus-flower". The lotus flower is a beautiful flower that grows in muddy water, but rises above it to bloom. When a lotus has bloomed, it is said to have reached enlightenment, for it has risen above the darkness and murkiness.  A large part of Buddhism is the idea of becoming enlightened and pure, even when there is surrounding trouble. The "lotus-flower" has two symbolic meanings in Buddhism: fortune and purification. First, Marlow never started his journey for the sake of money, but for the intrigue of adventure. Therefore, he would not have the flower because he lacked the motivation of fortune. Second, Marlow is not pure of heart, mind, and spirit because of the destruction and harm that he caused in the past. He committed actions that he can never undo, and therefore can never be pure again.