Thursday, January 21, 2010
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The ending of this story in my opinion was very strong. The last event in the story is what really hit home in my mind with all the things that Marlow saw throughout his voyage. Kurtz, a man who dies of illness in the Congo, utters the words "The horror, the horror" with his last breath. When Marlow visits Kurtz's fiancée, she asks what his final words were. Marlow cannot bring himself to tell her the truth but instead lies by telling her that his last word was her name. This part of the book was a powerful summation of the story as a whole, all the terrible things that Marlow has witnessed through his journey will stay with him for life. From the abuse of natives Africans, to being attacked by tribes and nursing a dying man Marlow has been through much and inability to even tell a women her fiancé's last words brings all of those things to a nice close for the reader. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to all those who enjoy more modern classics especially those with strong emphasis on human nature.
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You must come see me after you finish Apocolypse Now--I want to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteDan,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed how you wrapped up the end of Apocalypse Now while analyzing the book at the same time. In particular, I thought your analysis of why Marlowe avoided telling the truth to Kurtz's widow about Kurtz's last words was very interesting. Your enthusiasm for the book was also evident, and I appreciated how you recommended the book to people who have an interest in books about human nature.
Ryan