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?
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