Insight into Heart of Darkness

A detailed Summary of Insight into Heart of Darkness

There have been few novels that have had the ability to change my perspectives

about life and the world around us. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, is not one of

them. Not because I disagree with or dislike his work. He can't, after all, change my outlook

on life if he and I share the same opinions. One such thing is reflected in how our view

of Kurtz is not too far from Marlow's own, in the beginning, middle, or end of the book.

This is, of course, not to say that our opinions and views of Kurtz do not change. Far

from it. However, as Marlow's myopic views of Kurtz melt away in the light of truth

(which ironically revealed nothing but darkness), ours do as well.

Our view of Kurtz is that he is a great man. A man that defies description and

conventional beleif and methods. A man who "all Europe" was responsible for the

making of. Put simply, Kurtz appears to be that last bastion of civilization in the "Heart

of Darkness." The reader begins to want to see Kurtz in order to experience his

greatness. Kurtz Kurtz Kurtz. It's truly all one can think about. We HAVE to see Kurtz

so that we will find out just what all the hubbub is about.

As I said before, our views parallel Marlow's. Marlow becomes

would become what we truly are. Kurtz made a deal with the devil; the devil within.

The villain of this story is not so easy to define. It is niether good nor evil. It is

recognize him as a great and respected person. The natives have deified him. That he

civility like a baby to it's bottle. They arrived at their conclusions at the same time,

nothing more, while Kurtz is even less than that. Sometimes there are things better left in

Approximate Word count = 1216
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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