"Your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others." "No it is impossible... to convey the life sensation of any given epoch of ones existance that which makes it truth, its meaning, it's subtle and penetrating escence, it is immposible." "The sea itself, which is the mistress of his exsistance and as inscrutable as Destiny." "The horror-the horror" "Exterminate the brutes" *******THEMES******* *injustices -mans inhumanity to man -people destroying what they profess to enlighten -Work ethic or lack there of *Unrestrained Lusts *Lure of the Abyss *Savage vs. Civilized *Internal Heart of Darkness I challenge you to find ways to use these quotes as support for the themes and to also find other quotes. This will help immensly on essays and improptu's.
SYMBOLS- These symbols are only my interpretation of the reading, feel free to question and draw your own conclusions. The river = life The jungle = the edge of an abyss Flies = represent the ineffective operations of the pilgrims Shoes = protection and guidance Darkness vs. Light = is generally percieved to be dark meaning the lack of civiliztion , and light to mean a civilized community. The opposite however is also shown in this novel,where the inside of the white man is dark(corrupt)and the black natives, are light(good) inside. An example of this is a picture of Kurtz's would be wife Snake = evil Bird = Marlow White and Black = are both symbols of death example is a white sun is shinning over a black death. white man is overseeing that the moral part of these people is dead. MOTIFS- There are three main motifs that run throughout the novel, the number three, a journey and the reoccuring shadow. Three- The number three is present in three different stations three different women,three times that Conrad divides the novel and three views of Africa,(Religous, political and economic) The Journey- Is a motif that is supported by the setting of the story and the tone ehich the author uses. The setting furthers the journey motif by being in constant motion on the sea by discovering the inner station. The tone is that of a discovery not only of the literal Belgian Congo Heart of Darkness, but of the darkness in the readers own soul. The reoccuring Shadow- The shadow plays an important part in masking both the literal jungle itself, as well as masking the darkness in ones soul through civilization.
A DIFFERENT "HEART.." PAGE: More help with themes from a diff. perspective VOCABULARY: Explore the meanings behind Conrad's word choice CHARACTERS: Discover the personalities in Heart of Darkness SHVETA AND SARA'S ANALYSIS: Two AP Lit students offer their input BIOGRAPHY: The mind behind the Heart of Darkness AP LIT. HOMEPAGE: Other works analyzed |