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About Me
- Alex
- According to the typology test I'm a "solid liberal" (though, I'll go ahead and say that I self-identify as a socialist). My political leanings have been heavily influenced by my experiences as an Urban Studies student at UT Austin. I have not had many political experiences. I find more satisfaction in things like community organizing and direct action rather than taking part in politics. I'm taking the class mostly because it is required for my degree. I'm planning on bolting from this state as soon as I graduate next May, and I'm sure any class that gives insight the the Texas political system (joke?) will only strengthen my decision to do so. But I do think the class will be useful. As someone who aspires to be an urban geographer and hopes to encourage vast social and economic restructuring through research in the field, I believe that thorough knowledge of the Texas political system will provide a solid foundation of how to not go about bringing change.
The most predominant theme (at least in my opinion) in Heart of Darkness is pointed out in the first bullet: humans act inhumanely towards other humans. We don't ever really witness this first hand in the book. We only hear about it through rumors or Marlow's observations, but the "black, dried, sunken...heads drying on the stakes under Mr. Kurtz's windows" were an anvil sized hint of man's capacity for evil (pg. 55-56). In the psychology class I am a student assistant for, Mr. Raymond once described an ethically-questionable experiment performed to see what humans were capable of doing. The experiment consisted of an authority figure (actors pretending to be scientists) telling the subject (believing themselves volunteers) to shock actors (believed by the subjects to be the subject) when they answered a question incorrectly. The study found that once the subject/volunteer was told they would not be responsible for the death of the actor/subject by the actor/authority, he more often than not administered a shock capable of killing. Point and case guys, man can and will do things inhumane, especially when there is no repercussion on our behalves. In Kurtz's case, the only repercussions were positive (e.g. wealth). The morality of his actions didn't even occur to him when his position of power brought him fame, fortune, and a perceived legend status.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I agree that the theme of how inhumane humans can act toward each other is very important to the novel, and is a large part of what Conrad was trying to point out. But, I think it's even more important that Conrad described the effects of realizing our capabilities of inhumanity. In this way, the first bulleted theme connects to the third, causing the "disastrous consequences" mentioned. I think the novel is Conrad’s own regrets, disbeliefs, and disgust at the evil he witnessed is that it proves how dark it made him feel personally. In the end, when Kurtz’s Intended begs to know Kurtz’s last words, Marlow gets chills and wants to scream at her , “Don’t you hear them?” Marlow has been there, seen the evil, and now the knowledge of it presses him constantly; swirls around him and whispers in his ear. He saves Kurtz’s Intended by lying to her instead of telling her that the last words out of her “honorable” love’s mouth were “The horror! The horror!” The truth, he felt, was too dark for her innocence. Even after hearing Marlow’s story, the other seamen feel the darkness that is inherently inside them and everyone, as they look out towards the “somber” sky and imagine it leading into “an immense heart of darkness.” (all from pg 72) I agree that it is terribly disheartening to understand the atrocities that we are capable, like studying the past (the Holocaust, slavery, 9-11...) It becomes difficult not to lose faith in all humans and even in yourself.
ReplyDeleteYes, Conrad was attempting to describe the effects of realizing our capabilities of inhumanity, but I don't think he was particularly trying to portray his disgust in its existence as much as he is expressing his disgust in allowing that evil to consume oneself like Kurtz did. Even more so, I think Conrad was using his own/Marlow's experiences to allow the reader the opportunity to experience both consequences of acknowledging this evil. By the end of his journey, Marlow has unarguably recognized man's dormant evil. Kurtz, however, embraces this evil completely which in turn made him "an impenetrable darkness...a man who is lying at the bottom of a precipe where the sun never shines" (pg. 65.) Both men come face to face with man's other nature in the Belgian Congo, and their approach to dealing with this dark side is what seals their respective fates. Marlow opts for insight; Kurtz opts for destruction. These two extremes go on to illustrate humankind's dualistic nature. After Marlow comes to terms with the evil, he makes an understandably kind and tact gesture towards Kurtz's intended: an innocence-saving lie. This lie of good-intentions is still a lie. Can something so blatantly a sin be for the best? Furthermore, this compassionate lie was told in the first place in an attempt to cover up Kurtz's dark and monstrous actions. If man did not have the capacity for such atrocities, there would be no good-natured act for Marlow to do. As the memorable pessimist in Candide, Martin, once summarized, evil must exist for good to exist (Voltaire.) Polarities are a universal thing; human nature is very much a part of the universe.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex in that fact that the most important theme in the Heart of Darkness is that humans act inhumanly towards their fellow. This highlights the theme of imperialism. Alex also brings in an interesting subject of psychology. I think what Conrad maybe was trying to say is that when humans are put in certain situations, people will act accordingly. So when a high power hungry role is presented, human instincts will kick in and people won’t act like they normally would. Reading this book and tracking thoughts through the minds of Mr. Kurtz and Marlow, I cannot help but to think about the movie Pocahontas. Pocahontas has similar themes as the Heart of Darkness like humans treating other humans badly and the idea of imperialism. But there is a specific song in the movie that stands out the most. The song “Savages” is describing the Indians in the same manner as the whites thought about the blacks in the book. Marlow portrayed them as “criminals, and the outraged law…..deathlike indifference of unhappy savages (p.20)” The same familiar fashion in the Pocahontas song:
ReplyDelete“They're savages! Savages!
Barely even human
Savages! Savages!
Drive them from our shore!
They're not like you and me
Which means they must be evil”
Throughout history and this book, it is clear to see that humans act inhumanly towards their fellow. One thing that should be noticed though is back then the people didn’t think their doings were evil; instead they think that they’re bringing order into their uncivilized world.
Haha I love your connection to the Savages song Lily! "Their different from us, which means they can't be trusted!" It describes the ever-present prejudice (and evil) of mankind. The white men believed they were suppose to save the black savages, which only made the white man think higher of himself and even less of the natives.
ReplyDeleteAlex, what I was saying is that the effects, or consequences, of realizing humanities inert darkness is what Conrad was trying to get across in the novel, not just his disgust of that darkness. I agree that it's interesting how Conrad shows both consequences of acknowledging this through Marlow and Kurtz. Their responses serve to reiterate my point. It's sad to me that Kurtz, who has done so much evil, realizes this and cannot live with it any more. Even the darkest of persons cannot handle the realization, and it destroys him. And Marlow, who opts for insight, is forever haunted by his acknowledgement. He "did not go to join Kurtz...[He] remained to live the nightmare out to the end." (pg. 66) Marlow returns to the "sepulchral city" where the people walk and live around him. All he can see is darkness in them, as they "[hurry] through the streets to filch a little money from each other, to devour their infamous cookery, to gulp their unwholesome beer, to dream their insignificant and silly dreams." (pg. 67) Here Marlow reminds me of Rorschach from The Watchmen, who on the first page says, "The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'Save Us!'......and I'll look down, and whisper, 'No.' " He too has seen great evil done by man, and has lost all faith in him.
ReplyDeleteThe first generalization of cannibals and how they really are in the novel is an example of humans acting inhumanly towards others. The judgment of others without proper knowledge is at least in my opinion considered inhumanly. Nothing like calling someone a dirty rotten flesh-eater when they are better-behaved than the pilgrims…
ReplyDeleteBecause humans possess the ability to reason, good and evil is always an option. We are only limited by what we believe is actuality and what is accomplishable.
As for anyone confronting their own evil side, results may vary. People are different and react in diverse ways to certain situations and events. Someone like Marlow may realize his mistakes and change his ways. One of the Pilgrims, however, may find out he or she is better off stealing and killing.