Heart of Darkness

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The Difference Between Mr. Kurtz and Marlow

Mr. Kurtz is intended to be the picture of everything that is evil and twisted deep in the human soul that can be unleashed with the proper stimulus or lack of restraint, while Marlow is the soul who is saved by stepping back before it is too late. Obviously cutting off people’s heads and placing them on stakes is not what would be considered normal, or right by any means, but neither is destroying a culture.

Kurtz finds a part of himself that is quite disturbing and embraces it, but the fact that he was stimulated by the ideas and greed of colonialism can not be denied. The expedition creates scars in the jungle, belittles the native people because their culture is different, and is responsible for the death of many more than Kurtz has killed. For instance, the story of the ghost in the boiler that is used to take advantage of the native’s beliefs so that he will work for them, or perhaps it was just for the entertainment of the expedition. Then there is the dead body of the road that is considered a good thing.

Marlow may think that he is making the right decision by recognizing how out of control Kurtz is, but what he does not realize is colonialism is a huge part of why Kurtz is the way he is, and that he just chose colonialism. Both Kurtz and Marlow are wrong in their decisions, but the difference between the two is that Kurtz recognizes what he is doing, and Marlow does not. Kurtz’s last words, “The horror, the horror,” make it evident that he is disgusted with himself and what he has done, Marlow does not realize what a mistake he is making by being involved with the expedition and accepting colonialism.





Quote-
"They were common everyday words- the farmiliar, vague sounds exchanged on every waking day of life. But what of that? They had behind them, to my mind, the terrific suggestiveness of words heard in dreams, of phrases spoken in nightmares. Soul! If anyone has ever struggled with a soul, I am the man. And I wasn't arguing with a lunatic either," (Conrad 149).

In this quote, Marlow is speaking about Kurtz and what has driven him to his current state. This gives a clear indication that Kurtz is intended to be Marlow's alter ego. When Marlow says, "The farmiliar, vague sounds exchanged on every waking day of life...of phrases spoken in nightmares," it suggests that Kurts is a sane human being, who understands precisely what he is doing. The fact that the words he speaks seem as though they could be straight out of a nightmare, yet they are common, shows that this evil could be something that everyone could fall victim to; despite the fact that Conrad may be suggesting that this is something that only men could experience. The proper stimulus could make any common aspect of life turn into a "nightmare" because people possess an animal instinct that becomes harnessed by societal influences and self-restraint.

I was a little confused the first time I read Heart of Darkness, but once I understood it, it was very interesting. I liked how Kurtz is intended to be Marlow’s alter ego, and it is like Marlow is looking in a mirror the entire time. Conrad makes some great descriptions, and he is very concise, and to the point

Invisible Man

Throughout Invisible Man, it is clear that a major theme is white is right, and this philosophy appear to be the major problem for the narrator as well as other minor characters, but these characters were also facing problems within their own race. Just take a look at the narrator and how Dr. Bledsoe tricked him with the letters in an attempt to set the narrator up for failure and “keep him running”. Or, if you are not convinced, the brotherhood’s use of the narrator. The brotherhood, which was suppose to unite the African Americans of Harlem used the narrator and ended up creating an enemy out of him, as well as Brother Clifton. Then there is Ras, who uses violence to try to win the freedom that he feels the African Americans deserve, but he is making an enemy of the Brotherhood which is fighting for the same goal; just in a different manner.

Ellison not only highlighted the issue of black versus white, but the issue of black versus black. This issue is not just amongst the African American race; you could probably highlight the same issue within any race, but it comes down to a bigger issue. The entire issue of problems within a race stems from problems between people. Differing opinions create tensions and arguments because both sides feel that they are right and the other is wrong. A huge part of most problems is miscommunication between strong-willed people. Not that one person needs to give up on their argument, but someone has to be the bigger person and say that there is an issue that needs to be resolved. The moral of this novel comes down to the fact that we all just need to get along. (As cheesy as its sounds). The problem is not just black and white; it’s bigger than that.

“He believes in you as he believes in the beat of his heart. He believes in that great false wisdom taught slaves and pragmatists alike, that white is right. I can tell you his destiny. He’ll do your
bidding, and for that his blindness is his chief asset. He’s your man, friend. Your man and your destiny. Now the two of you descend the stairs into chaos and get the hell out of here,” (Ellison 95).

This quote is said by the black doctor at the Golden Day after Mr. Norton becomes ill over what he has seen in the old slave quarters. Mr. Norton could be considered an idealist because he wants to help young African Americans, and feels that the world can be changed; yet at the same time he believes that white is right, despite truly wanting to create change. Typically an idealist would probably not believe in this philosophy, but Mr. Norton is so naive about his own thoughts and actions that he does not realize that he is influencing the problems in some ways. When the doctor says, “His blindness is his chief asset, he means that Mr. Norton will not see the real horrors that the black race encounters. Then when the doctor says, “He’s your man and your destiny,” he is referring to the fact that the narrator is blind to the truth himself, and that he too will eventually be shocked when he recognizes what really goes on. The last line, “Descend the stairs into chaos,” refers to the fact that even though people are attacking each, there is prostitution, and other problems inside of the Golden Day, the people recognize the truth, while there are even more problems and people that do not recognize them outside the walls of the Golden Day.

Invisible Man is definitely a well-written novel that could be read multiple times, with new aspects, symbols, etc. being found each time. However, in my opinion, it was too long. By the time the narrator had reached New York and gotten involved with the Brotherhood, the theme of the novel was evident, but there continued to be more examples of the theme. By the end of the novel, it just seemed unnecessary that there were so many examples of how the Narrator was used, made into what others and not being what he wanted. The novel probably would have been just as powerful if some of it had cut out. I was honestly bored, and no longer cared what happened by the time the novel ended.

Player Piano

A major point that Vonnegut makes in Player Piano is that people sometimes forget what happiness is. Everyone thinks that technology will make things better, easier, and there will be more time to do things that are fun. Technology definitely has its perks, I could make a list of at least a hundred things I couldn’t live without, but sometimes it just makes things boring. Technology can make things so easy that it doesn’t seem like any work was done. For instance, when I am finished typing this, I am going to press publish and I’ll be done with this assignment and have saved a tree, but it doesn’t feel like as much of an accomplishment because it is so easy to just click a few buttons.

Maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but look at Bud; he created a machine that does his job better than he can and he no longer has a job. He no longer has a purpose, and there are plenty of real people who are like this. For instance, the ATM has made it unnecessary to have as many bank tellers, and the copy machine has eliminated the job of the scrivener. A big part of life is having a place where one fits in and a purpose, Vonnegut demonstrates this through the examples of technology, and Paul’s struggle to choose a side of the river. Paul relies on technology for so many things that he could not make it on the other side of the river, but he does not want to be run by the machines.

Technology is obviously necessary in today’s world, but where should the line be drawn? Somehow, it needs to be determined how much technology is a good thing, and at what point everyone will literally become a heap of metal unable to do anything for themselves.

This is really an entire passage, but my favorite part is this,
‘“ Well, I’ll be getting back to work. Long as this here is going to be your farm, you might’s well fix the pump. Needs a new packing.’
‘Afraid I don’t know how,’ said Paul.
‘Maybe,’ said Mr. Haycox walking away, ‘Maybe if you had gone to college another ten or twenty years, somebody would have gotten around to showing you how, Doctor,”’ (135).
I love Mr. Haycox! It takes some guts to disrespect your future landlord and boss like that. I also like how he refers to the farm as his before this conversation. I’m not trying to knock education in any way, but Mr. Haycox is right, there are some things that you just can not learn in school no matter how many years you attend. Paul is obviously very bright and works very hard to be able to earn his doctorate, but it is not going to help him fix the pump or do a lot of other things, and this society bases everything off how smart you are when it comes to tests. This entire scene is scary in a way because are society is just like this in so many ways; I mean for years everyone has been preaching to us that you need to get good grades and do well on your SAT’s, or your not going to go college, and you’ll be a failure at life. Just a little bit of an overstatement. School is important, but there are some intangibles that you will never learn there. Most importantly, just because you don’t become a doctor, you are not an idiot, and the world as you know it will not come crumbling down.

When I first started reading Player Piano, I didn’t like it because it was another utopia/ dystopia novel. It just seems that the majority of the novels with that theme are so similar that you could interchange the characters from one story to the other, and that, for the most part, the plots are borrowed from one author to another. Vonnegut’s use of black humor made his novel, which otherwise falls into this category, unique, and I wouldn’t mind reading another one of his novels just to experience more of it.

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood did not pick the words that Offred and the Commander spelled while playing Scrabble randomly. They relate to different aspects of the story.

The larynx is responsible for speech; it is the voice box. It is ironic that Offred spells larynx since she has no voice or say in what she is allowed to do. She is not supposed to spell words either; so in spelling this word, she is breaking all the rules. Not only is Offred spelling words when she is not allowed, she is making a statement about her lack of voice.

A valance is a piece of curtain that covers a window. It shades the window; just as Offred has to shade her face with the wings because she has no value other than her fertility. The valance hides things taking place behind the window, such as Offred’s time with the Commander must remain hidden.

A quince is a fruit that resembles an apple and is used for making marmalades. Marmalade would be a luxury item that would be taken away from the Handmaids; as items such as butter were, butter was hard to come by.

Zygote, a fertilized egg, has a very obvious connection to the novel. The handmaid’s are valued for their fertility, and those who can not bear children are sent to live with the unwomen. Offred has not had a child, so a zygote is of extreme importance for her, unless she can escape Gilead.



The scene in which Offred describes an egg she is having for breakfast was particularly interesting because it relates directly to Offred’s purpose as a handmaid. Offred states, “Pleasure is an egg. Blessings that can be counted, on the fingers of one hand. But possibly this is how I am expected to react. If I have an egg, what more can I want?” (110-111). Offred is staring at an egg discussing the wonders of its shape and warmth. She is obviously unhappy in Gilead, but to have an egg would be pleasure because she would be safe, and not have to worry about being sent to live with the unwomen. This quote summarizes in four sentences the unfair treatment that the women in Gilead receive. They are only good for their fertility, and have few other places in society.



I enjoyed this novel because by the end of it, I felt so connected to Offred; I wanted her to be able to escape Gilead, and be relieved of all her pain. I also enjoyed the humor of Offred’s mother, and of Moira. The way that they were very blunt, and not afraid to say anything was very amusing.

We

D-503 battles an intense internal struggle throughout Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We. He is comfortable in his job as the builder of the Integral, and he enjoys following his daily schedule; they are comforts for D-503. D-503 is bombarded with a problem when he discovers that he has a soul as a result of his infatuation with I-330. He is not supposed to feel emotions like he is feeling because everything is supposed to be precisely calculated according to formula.
The emotions of D-503 are further complicated when I-330 wants to skip some of there scheduled meetings, and O-90 wants to have a child with him. D-503 fights his emotions internally. Does he want to be with O-90 or I-330? Is he comfortable with his current lifestyle, or is his curiosity about life beyond the wall too much to suppress?

Zamyatin illustrates this battle through the numerous ellipses he inserts into D-503’s thoughts. They interrupt his thought process, and illustrate confusion. Following an ellipsis, D-503 switches to another topic; showing that he has many ideas running through his mind at the same time. Zamyatin also uses colors in different descriptions that contribute to different emotions. For instance, the ruins of the finger, outside the wall, upon the return of the integral, are yellow. Yellow indicates caution; just as D-503 was cautious of I-330, the leader of the people outside the wall. Another example is the white gloves of the doctor examining the Jacobs. White is clean and simple; just as OneState has always been simple and comfortable for D-503. The clear skies over OneState become cloudy as if a storm is about to come just before the lift of the Integral; depicting the climax of D-503’s confusion.

It all would be simple if D-503 had not discovered that he possessed a soul. He would have been able to maintain his robotic, monotonous lifestyle, and he would have been happy because he would have been within his comfort zone. However, D-503 does seem happy, despite his internal struggle, that he discovered his soul because of his intrigue with the wild world beyond the green wall. If he was truly, completely happy with his life in OneState, he probably would not have become so infatuated with I-330.



A passage that I particularly enjoyed from We is when the Benefactor speaks to D-503. The Benefactor states:
I ask this question: What is it that people beg for, dream about, torment themselves for, from the time they leave swaddling clothes? They want someone to tell them, once and for all, what happiness is- and then to bind them to that happiness with a chain. What is it we’re doing right now, if not that? … Remember: In paradise they’ve lost all knowledge of desires, pity, love- they are the blessed, with their imaginations surgically removed (207).

I found this passage interesting because happiness is probably the number one thing the majority of people would wish for someone to give them; especially since it can be difficult to decide what makes you happy. It is interesting how the Benefactor thinks that he is giving people happiness because they do not have knowledge of desires or pity, and they do not have imaginations. The people can not think of anything that would make them unhappy, but they also are unable to think of wonderful things in their life. It would be nice is someone could tell you what will make you happy, but only you can tell yourself that because you know yourself better than anyone. This quote is just really interesting because it tells you that the Benefactor had good intentions in the creation of OneState, which you would not assume from the mechanical aspects of the society.




I enjoyed We because it was interesting to look at the story through D -503’s stream of consciousness. The stream of consciousness was annoying at times because D-503’s thoughts become interrupted; however those interruptions showed his internal struggle. I just thought it was really interesting to look at the story in the way that D-503 was thinking it rather than from the point of view of an omniscient narrator or a more typical first person point of view that is explaining past events. It was just easier to connect to D-503’s character when I was sorting out his conflicts with him; rather than listening to recollections of the past. I felt as though I was involved and could help D-503 solve his problems because I was sorting them out as they were presented in his mind.

Anthem

It would seem that a society in which everyone has a job, and works for what is best for the whole would be quite peaceful. Everyone would have a purpose, and something to work for. All the pieces of the society would fit together perfectly, and the society would be harmonious because everyone would have what they need. Would they really?

As in the case of Equality 7-2521, he was very unhappy because he wanted to be a scientist, not a street sweeper. He was not intellectually stimulated. His discovery of the light bulb in the tunnel goes ignored, and Equality is persecuted for putting time into something other than his job.

The reason that Equality 7-2521 is so unhappy is that he has no room for personal growth. Despite the society’s attempts to make everyone work towards the good of each other by removing I from the spoken language, and making them use we to refer to themselves, people like Equality were 7-2521 are individuals. Even the name Equality suggests that all the people have an equal part in the society, but they do not. Some people get to be scientists while others have to sweep streets, and they have no choice in what they do. Where is the equality there? The problem in this society is that they try to squeeze every individual into a specific mold. People have to have room to make their own decisions, and grow as individuals. Only then can they work for the good of everyone, the society. People, to a certain extent, are who they are, and you can not change them. If characters such as Equality 7-2521 were happy, and they had freedom to make their own decisions regarding themselves, they would be better able to work for the benefit of the society because people can not unite as one if they are not one with themselves. If someone is unhappy, they will focus on trying to do what will make them happy; they will not be focused on what is best for everyone because the most primitive of human instincts is to take care of oneself first.




A quote from Anthem that I enjoyed is spoken by Equality 7-2521 early in the novel. Equality 7-2521 states, “But we cannot change our bones nor our body,” (Rand 13). This means that people are who they are no matter what. Someone can change their superficial features, some of their opinions, and attitudes; however at the end of the day, they are who they are. Despite how hard someone may try, I just do not think it is possible for someone to completely change themselves, and rid themselves of their past. Your past is just that, your past. You can learn from it, but you can not change it; it is there for ever.




My opinion on Anthem is indifferent; I neither truly liked nor disliked it. It bothered me that none of the characters had a choice about how they were to spend their lives. It also bothered me that the entire society seemed to take a step backwards in their advancement. I think that you should move forward, and not backwards because there must have been a reason that the lifestyles of the society evolved the way they did. Overall, I did not make a strong connection with any of the characters that allowed me to become involved in the story.

Fahreinheit 451

The TV walls that filled the living room of Guy and Mildred Montag and all of the other homes in town did not just separate the people from the world for a few hours of entertainment; they separated people such as Mildred from several aspects of everyday life.

Mildred spends hours of each day in front of her TV wall absorbed by her program that allows her to play along with the actors on the screen. The news, which is broadcasted through the screen, is manipulated by the government; such as when an innocent man is gunned down so that the government can say that they captured Montag. The wall even informs the occupants of the house that someone is at the door. The majority of the people in Fahrenheit 451 are so enamored with their TV walls that they spend their entire day in front of it. They do not question anything broadcasted over it; they believe everything to be fact.

The trust that the characters have in the media broadcasts, along with their fascination with the TV walls, allows them all to be manipulated by the government. The government uses the technology to keep everyone dumb because knowledge allows people to make informed decisions and to ask questions. Burning books was not the only way that people were kept unaware of the actions of the government. The TV walls isolated people, and convinced them that they were happy. For instance, Mildred rarely interacted with Montag because she would miss her programs, and Mildred believed that the people who were burned in their homes for having books deserved it because she was taught by information she received through her TV walls and from early in life that the information in books was all lies and jargon that was meant to define people from one another, and therefore create controversy. Mildred did not know that those people who were burned were good people with great arsenals of knowledge, or that people were run down on the street because she never investigated information for herself; she just followed what she was told without question. For instance, when Montag informed Mildred that their neighbor Clarisse had been run over, Mildred mentioned that she always thought Clarisse was strange. Mildred never questioned why Clarisse was treated so inhumanely.

Mildred, among others, such as her friend who is burdened by the presence of her children, is numb to many basic emotions. She does not seem to feel pain and sympathy for others, or much true love for Montag. She rarely spends time with him because she is watching programs or with friends, and when she finds out that Montag has books in their home, she calls in the alarm on him. Despite obvious faults in the society, Mildred does not react to any of them. She is isolated by her TV walls and the messages that are broadcast over them. Mildred is manipulated by the false sense of happiness that technology gives her; separated from basic human emotions and events taking place in the society. She is very consumed with what she thinks she wants, and thinks little of anything else.




I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451 even though it is a science fiction novel, a genre that has not always been a favorite of mine. There are some startling technologies, such as the dog, but the story is not over powered by scientific jargon and inventions. Bradbury balances his use of technologies in Fahrenheit 451 very well; the technologies supplement the plot and themes, while not overpowering the story so that it is just about the technology. I thought that the TV walls, while it is disturbing how isolating they are, are not that different than technologies we have today. People can buy huge plasma TVs that cover an entire wall, and media can be extremely manipulative just as it is in the novel. Just look at how the paparazzi can publish a picture of a celebrity in a magazine, and many people will believe what ever the article says without any concrete facts that support the story. One could also look at how some books are banned from certain schools, or at how in some countries, the news is edited for content by a government agency before it is broadcasted.

There are probably many people who would act in a similar manner as Mildred because it may be easier to make yourself believe that you are happy, than to question what is going on around you and fight for change; that is not that new of an idea to me. What was disturbing to me about this book was how many comparisons that can be made between this society that clearly had major issues, and the one that we live in.