Heart of Darkness is such a good book that it defers from the typical archetypal hero's journey.Wether I'm being sarcastic or not is to be decided by the reader.In the typical hero's journey there is a "call to adventure" and then the "refusal of that call".Marlow doesn't ever refuse the call and I wouldn't say that the call is one of adventure. However, there is the "crossing of the threshold" and the "belly of the whale".Before Marlow leaves or Africa,he gets a sense that he's going to the center of the Earth,and then when he is in Africa he's completely separated from his home,England.Next comes the "road of trials" which Marlow does experience.He doesn't enjoy the trip to Africa and to his horror,sees a bunch of Africans tied up and dying.Also he finds out the the steamer that he was supposed to use has sunk.In terms of women,the "meeting with a goddess" and "women as a temptress" doesn't happen to Marlow(Isn't that so sad,Jim?).But Marlow does start thinking that maybe the Africans aren't so savage after all and he does get caught in a fight between African cannibals and the Europeans,so I guess that falls under the "Temptress".The "atonement with the father" could be considered because Marlow keeps hearing about the all important Kurtz and then takes a trip to see him.Kurtz does impact him him a lot.Although Marlow gets sick after Kurtz dies,the "apotheosis" and "ultimate boon" doesn't happen because Marlow never feels at peace.The "refusal of return" doesn't happen because he doesn't want to stay in Africa and is ill most of the way back home.The "crossing of the return threshold" happens as Marlow returns to England and tries to make sense of everything.The biggest reason that I don't see Heart of Darkness as a typical hero's journey is that I don't consider Marlow to be a Hero.He didn't show bravery or growth(well the kind of growth we want to see).
Once again, a book that has been praised(pretty much just by white people) yet I don't like it.Oh well,what's new?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Ahhh...racism and misogyny.My two favorite things.
So we start off in Heart of Darkness with a wonderful(ha!) evening boat ride that has five people,including the narrator,on board.The narrator is listening to Marlow telling how as a young lad,he traveled up the Congo River on a Belgian steamship. Like the story with the elephant(Dumbo!), Marlow dislikes imperialism because of what it does to the colonizer,not what it does to the colonized.To me this is kind of silly;it's like writing on how bad a cop feels about giving out a ticket rather than the receiver of the ticket.
Anyway, a line that I really liked on page 10 where Marlow is describing his aunt,"It's queer how out of touch with truth women are.They live in a world of their own,and there had never been anything like it,and can never be". This line was interesting to me for two reasons.One,obviously, is that I'm a female and I did not appreciate this line.It's not my fault I'm out of touch,I can't work technology and I'm always too busy in the kitchen!It's great how although Marlow is against colonialism,he is still misogynistic.One step at a time I guess.Two was the fact that that line could be used on white imperialistic people in general.They are out of touch,whether it be not realizing the cruelty of their actions or failing to realize the good things that come out of different races and cultures.They live in a world of their own;they believe they are right,smart,civilized,great,basically are eurocentric.Although Marlow,or Conrad through Marlow, is trying to come off as a good person with a good lesson,he ends up looking like a pretentious loser.One who thinks they are better and kinder when in reality is just the same as every other misogynistic racist.
Important question:Who do you think would win in a fight between a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco?
Anyway, a line that I really liked on page 10 where Marlow is describing his aunt,"It's queer how out of touch with truth women are.They live in a world of their own,and there had never been anything like it,and can never be". This line was interesting to me for two reasons.One,obviously, is that I'm a female and I did not appreciate this line.It's not my fault I'm out of touch,I can't work technology and I'm always too busy in the kitchen!It's great how although Marlow is against colonialism,he is still misogynistic.One step at a time I guess.Two was the fact that that line could be used on white imperialistic people in general.They are out of touch,whether it be not realizing the cruelty of their actions or failing to realize the good things that come out of different races and cultures.They live in a world of their own;they believe they are right,smart,civilized,great,basically are eurocentric.Although Marlow,or Conrad through Marlow, is trying to come off as a good person with a good lesson,he ends up looking like a pretentious loser.One who thinks they are better and kinder when in reality is just the same as every other misogynistic racist.
Important question:Who do you think would win in a fight between a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco?
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Love is in the air,but hate is in your heart
We are now in the second section of the book and we are seeing things from Rochester's POV. This is good because we are now seeing Rochester,not Jane's Rochester and not Bertha's Rochester. Though really, we are seeing Rhys's Rochester. Sorry,I still can't get over how she's practically plagiarizing. I guess this book is about both of them.We see how both of them become who they are because of the other person.Anyway, they are now on their honeymoon and are doing many honeymoon things.By that I mean they are discussing literature and great works of art.At one point,they are having dinner and moths and beetles keep flying into the candles and burn to death.Oh how nice,a barbecue!I'm guessing this represents the evolution of their relationship;the nice candlelight represents their nice,fake marriage,but soon they will get burned.I'm not a big fan of this section because I know it will lead to worse things.I already don't like Rochester but this part is making me dislike him even more.I get it,your in a sticky situation but sheesh, could you act a little better?At least Bertha is trying.By the way,why does he start calling her that?I mean,who does that?"Hey,I'm just gonna call you another name from now on;I don't care if you mind."Jerk.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
A Sea of Wide Grass
Dear readers,
I am so sorry I have been gone away for so long.I know, I know, what could be worse than a blogger who stops blogging?Nothing!I am here to discuss Wide Sargasso Sea by Lady who couldn't make up her own characters and had to take them from othe- I mean Jean Ryths.From reading, we get a sense of who Bertha is. She is poor, like Jane, but is also not very educated,just by the way the narrative sounds. Considering how many times she mentions "the black people", one can tell that she lives in a world where race is an issue.Like Jane, she is also ostracized for being poor, but also for being white which is something you don't hear everyday. Unlike Jane,she has a mother, but a mother that no one would like to have.The narrative is not at all like Jane Eyre. It doesn't feel like a memoir,but more like a girl writing in her diary.Bertha seems like a confused kid dealing with things that no one should deal with.In a way,her life was harder than Jane's life. The whole thing just depressed me,probably because I know Bertha's future. But even her present sucks! Father-less,friend-less and most importantly, Nutella-less!
I found this interesting.On page 17 she states that they have a garden in their home that was just like the garden in the Bible but soon it grew wild.Funny enough,it sounds just like how someone would describe Bertha. Oh snap guys look, I'm being deep!
I am so sorry I have been gone away for so long.I know, I know, what could be worse than a blogger who stops blogging?Nothing!I am here to discuss Wide Sargasso Sea by Lady who couldn't make up her own characters and had to take them from othe- I mean Jean Ryths.From reading, we get a sense of who Bertha is. She is poor, like Jane, but is also not very educated,just by the way the narrative sounds. Considering how many times she mentions "the black people", one can tell that she lives in a world where race is an issue.Like Jane, she is also ostracized for being poor, but also for being white which is something you don't hear everyday. Unlike Jane,she has a mother, but a mother that no one would like to have.The narrative is not at all like Jane Eyre. It doesn't feel like a memoir,but more like a girl writing in her diary.Bertha seems like a confused kid dealing with things that no one should deal with.In a way,her life was harder than Jane's life. The whole thing just depressed me,probably because I know Bertha's future. But even her present sucks! Father-less,friend-less and most importantly, Nutella-less!
I found this interesting.On page 17 she states that they have a garden in their home that was just like the garden in the Bible but soon it grew wild.Funny enough,it sounds just like how someone would describe Bertha. Oh snap guys look, I'm being deep!
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