Heart of Darkness Reflection

As stated by Professor Rosenthal, characters are not people, and they are by of an fountains bag of tricks to make a point. I suppose the author of mettle of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, used that character Kurtz as a symbolisation to represent ferociousness. Savagery can be defined as an uncontrolled, uncultivated and hostile individual. I believe there is a certain distri barelyor point of darkness/savagery that lies within every creation, but it does not endlessly emerge, and if so can prevail to the point of ultimate destruction, that is Mr. Kurtz. We come to write out and form our opinions or so him by reading the story chapter-by-chapter, narrated by the character, Marlow.To richly understand Kurtz representation its crucial to first bonk what the authors symbolic intentions were when creating the character, and analyze how the narrators attitude towards Kurtz changes throughout the story. I believe Conrad created Kurtz to make a point to the readers that he is a repr esentation of savagery. Its sensation thing to just read the word, knowing what it means, or to just say almostthing is savage without a meaningful justification. Reading Heart of Darkness authenti telephoney gives a nifty depiction of what savagery really is.Conrad used Kurtz to trail us as readers along, unraveling all the mysteries that Kurtz portrays. Not yet do I think Conrad connected Kurtz with savagery but with corruption, exploitation, and finesse as well. Towards the end of the book, sensation is really able to grasp the connection between savagery and Kurtz in universey ways, but it wasnt until the transit continued throughout the story do we realize that. The narrator, Marlow is always broad-minded about Kurtz at first, and then he tick offs the events going on and last sees how savage his character really is.In the beginning of his journey, Marlow hears nothing but good things about Kurtz. He envies him, he thinks he is this extraordinary man that he strives to be uniform and would hope to be able to last meet one day. Then, as time goes on, he reaches camp and things unfold. erst he reaches Kurtz, he sees all the decapitated heads, and the natives following Kurtz corresponding he is some sort of God like figure. The law and order that Marlow design existed in the tribe was no longer there. At this time in the book, we realize the ignificance of what his aunt told him before he left for this journey. Marlow meets with her, and she talked about ablactation those ignorant millions from their horrid ways (10). I definitely think is an guinea pig of foreshadowing that we one could have noticed early on in the book. She knew that inhuman beings are inside that jungle, the major one being Kurtz. As stated earlier, we initially think Kurtz is this poetic, refined, artistic man all attributes, I notion, that are similar to imperialistic ones, comparable to a leader or dictator of some sort.He is charismatic and convincing (hence all o f the natives succeed him). In a way, his character is comparable to that of the Victorian Era. Conrad wrote this book during that period, so its easy to say that was a great inspiration for him. some themes of the Victorian Era were exploitation, corruption, hypocrisy and more(prenominal) many qualities I see in the Congo from Marlows description. In that Era, there was economic and industrial progress, and like any society, thoughts of self-deception, loneliness and isolation were paramountthere was corruption, whoredom and more.Kurtz was an example of man testing extreme situations. Its important for one to have a sense of place, and its hard not to be pessimistic when in a situation like one that Kurtz was in. When one is in this place of bedlam, one chooses to make something of it and either survive, or break down it becomes a matter of life or death. Kurtz took the roll of a dictator in this environment and although he did it through savage, corrupt like ways, he had no cho ice.Initially reading, I thought Kurtz went from this prestige figure, to this crazy blotto man and had no idea why he was such a superior tyrant in the Congo, but after really mentation about the circumstances I realized desperate times call for desperate measures Kurtz did what he had to do and became something that he had no power to confirmation from thriving. After completing the book, I believe Kurtz is loosing his mind while being in the Congo, being away from civilization. The longer Kurtz is in that kind of chaos, the more he loses his sanity.Its not good for anyone to be in a situation where all structure is lost. One thing we dont know from reading The Heart of Darkness, is whether or not Kurtz has always been like this or if its been hidden and Africa is to blame for the out bringing of this Hyde like character. As readers, we are not aware of the ways that Kurtz lived by. We know he has a woman in his life, but do we know the kind of birth he upholds with her, or an yone else by that means? Kurtz is a mystery that we crusade and piece together. Reading this make me think a lot of about real life, relative to everyday people.Does everyone have an alter ego, and are some more refined than others at keeping it in? I feel that everyone has his or her own place of darkness. At some point in life, everyone goes through an abstruse phase, Kurtz being in the Congo. If I was stranded in an unknown place with no friends or family, bump offly on my own, I dont know how I would make it. Kurtz is in that kindred situation he made it work, and although he has become this savage like character, its how hes surviving in the Congo. This is the point where Conrad is doing a great job at making the readers really think about how Mr. Kurtz should be portrayed. This leads us to Kurtz final quote before he passes, The horror, the horror (64). to begin with Kurtz let out his last words, Marlow asks himself, Did he live his life once more in every details of desir e, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? (64). I feel as though Conrad never specifies the sure meaning of Kurtz final words for its up to us as the interpreters to really think about what it means. Marlow gives some sort of guidance as what worry to think about, but I dont really know if I could pin point the true significance.Going back to whether or not the Congo made Kurtz turn into the man he was or not is still the question. Did he belt his closing utterance because he thought of the horror that was going on around him, or was it who he has become after being in such a usurious place for so long? I truly love the event that Conrad really makes use of this character in every way executable to get us to think of Kurtz, and I think thats what made him such an outstanding writer. Hes able to embody what savagery represents by having these thoughts cross our minds as we read throughout this book.