Term Paper on "Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness"
Term Paper 3 pages (1061 words) Sources: 2 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Heart of DarknessJoseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness draws a parallel between the physical journey of the main character, Marlow, and his mental or spiritual journey as he travels more deeply into the physical darkness of the African continent. The physical journey is then indicative as he becomes increasingly aware of the darkness in the human soul, which culminates in Kurtz. When Kurtz dies, the darkness reaches its ultimate level, and for Marlow, there is no return. It is unlikely that he will ever be the same again. In terms of point-of-view, the novel is structured in an interesting way. A nameless first-person narrator introduces Marlow as part of a group including a lawyer, an accountant, and the director of the company for which Marlow works. Marlow is portrayed as an outsider, without a particular profession. He nevertheless takes control of the story from the original narrator and as it were becomes both the main character and the main narrator of the story. In addition to the narrative point-of-view, Marlow also represents more than one point-of-view in terms of colonization. Initially, he reacts to events from the viewpoint of the Western colonist. This however changes as his narrative progresses.
At first, Marlow is viewed as neither part of the Western culture represented by the persons on the ship, nor by any of the cultures he visited during his journey at sea. Indeed, he is portrayed as a man without identity or culture. This makes him all the more suitable for the seduction that is to ensue from the heart of the country he is about to enter. This journey will not only alter Marlow, but also his point-of-view.
The beginning of the novel
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The indication is that the civilized world, in its ordered capacity, is light and beautiful.
This is juxtaposed strongly with the ensuing darkness and gloom of the ending day: "... At last, in its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men." (Conrad 66). The "gloom" foreshadows the darkness of the African journey that is soon to follow. The physical darkness also indicates the darkness in the hearts of human beings, only kept at bay by the flimsy veneer of civilization.
Marlow's point-of-view gradually shifts as he moves deeper into the African jungle, its native culture, and finally towards the inevitable meeting with Kurtz. As he arrives at Kurtz's station, Marlow is gradually seduced by the wild, uncivilized rites of the natives. He admits being attracted to them; the darkness in their hearts as it were, calling to the wild darkness in his own: "that was the worst of… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness" Assignment:
“Focus on point of view and/or tone in the work you are analyzing.
Point of view: the perspective from which the story is told.
The most obvious point of view is probably first person (I).
The omniscient narrator knows everything and gives the reader information.
The limited omniscient narrator = third person: everything is presented from the point of view of a character.
The objective point of view presents action without comment (the reader has to interpret meaning).
Tone is the ***** or poet*****s attitude toward the material and/or readers.
Consider the following suggestions in organizing this literary analysis:
* Create a short, original title reflective of your thesis.
* Introduce the plot but avoid plot summary.
* Focus on point of view and/or tone in the work.
* Present a strong thesis.
* Use topic sentences in your body paragraphs.
* Use quotations in the body paragraphs to support your thesis.
* Introduce quotations (perhaps via *****˜tags*****).
* Use quotation marks around exact words from borrowed sources.
* Follow quotations with commentary in your own words.
* Conclude paragraphs in your own words.
* Finish your paper by summarizing the key points; re-state the thesis.
* Control secondary sources; they should not overwhelm your paper.
* Document sources via parenthetical and bibliographic citations.
* Follow MLA conventions for both (use the author*****s last name in citations).
* Use parenthetical citations if you quote, paraphrase, or even summarize from a source.
* Cite complete source information in the Works Cited Page.
* Revise before sending to check grammar, phrasing, and sentence structure.
* Revise before sending to check spelling and punctuation.
* Strive for clarity and conciseness; avoid redundancy.
How to Reference "Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2007, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/heart-darkness-joseph-conrad/119863. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
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