my esse

"There is no morality, no knowledge and no hope; there is only the consciousness of ourselves which drives us about a world that whether seen in a convex or concave mirror is always but a vain floating appearance."  At first glance, the English seem to be superior in all respects and appear to maintain a strong moral code, while the Africans are supposedly savage and inferior; however, through the lens of Marlow, Conrad emphasizes the cruel and unruly nature of the English, and the ironically self-restrained and pure characteristics of the Africans.  Conrad’s perpetual juxtaposition of the English and Africans ironically illustrates his hatred of colonial oppression.

Exploring HOD through Karl's interpretation (Pre-Essay Quote)

"There is no morality, no knowledge and no hope; there is only the consciousness of ourselves which drives us about a world that whether seen in a convex or concave mirror is always but a vain floating appearance."  Conrad and Marlow have different perspectives.  Marlow's is demonstrated through the text, while Conrad's is demonstrated by the way he shapes the story.

Psychological Perspective of Colonialism

For my essay, I am going to explore the symbolism of colonial imperialism from a psychological perspective.  I will analyze Marlow's behavior and speech patterns, and his descriptions of the Congo.  I will also explore Kurtz's painting, as it closely ties into the major theme of colonial oppression.  I will also analyze the effects of colonialism with respect to the Africans, as it puts the Africans and bystanders in an extremely vulnerable position.  Because of being in a vulnerable position, people more readily are induced to express their subconscious.  

Marlow's Psychological Journey

In the Heart of Darkness, Conrad's utilization of Marlow's diminishing consciousness reflects the lack of civilized behavior and the presence of savagery in the Congo.  Marlow exhibits a strong moral code early on, and attempts to maintain it as he journeys through the depths of the Congo; however, his experiences lead him to question everything he believes as he absorbs the monstrous conditions as a result of British colonization.  Conrad suggests that an individual's beliefs are essentially a reflection of his surroundings because when Marlow is around civilized behavior, he has no problem upholding his morals; however, in the Congo, his understanding of humanity is strained, questioned, and challenged.  Therefore,
the longer he spends in the Congo, the less he can connect to the rest of the world outside of the Congo.

Heart of Darkness #6

Through the painting, Marlow emphasizes the sinister intentions behind the British colonization of Africa.  The black and sombre background represents the unchartered and backwardness of Africa prior to colonial rule.  On the other hand, the stately woman, who has a sinister appearance and attempts to tame the darkness with her lit torch, reflects Marlow's impression of British colonial rule.  Marlow frowns upon the British's willingness to colonize for economic desires rather than philanthropical purposes.  He also believes that the "light" is misleading and phony, as light is usually a symbol of something positive; however, in this painting, he uses light to depict that the British have the potential to benefit the people of Africa, yet they choose not to as a result of the economic motives.

Heart of Darkness #2

Marlow begins his tale of a journey to the heart of darkness with an account of London in order to connect the English colonization in Africa and London in Roman times.  While both colonizations are seemingly different, Marlow demonstrates the similar desires for dominance and power of the Romans in London and the English in Africa.  By introducing the works with accounts of England in "very old times," Marlow indicates the ill effects of colonization that took place in London, and foreshadows the effects of colonization in Africa that Marlow will soon discover.

blogpost #8: tone

Tone reflects the speaker's attitude toward the subject of work. In "To His Coy Mistress," Marvell uses a three-part structure, each consisting of different tones in order to convey the theme of carpe diem.  In lines 1-20, Marvell speaks to his mistress in the condition:  "Two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest." Marvell employs a high-spirited tone, which expresses the magnitude of his love for his mistress, without considering the withering effects of time.  In a perfect, timeless world, he could afford to be patient; however, lines 21-32 play a pivotal role in the poem, as these lines serve as a reality check for the mistress. Although he states that he would be patient in their relationship in a timeless world, Marvell uses the second part to emphasize the constraints of time:  "The beauty shall no more be found."  Marvel, using a rather ominous tone, stresses that, unlike his conditional world where beauty would be preserved, their youth, beauty, and fertility cannot be taken for granted.  In the final part, lines 33-46, Marvell employs an urgent tone.  In the previous part, he had made his claim that the boundaries of time were actual; however, in the third part, he takes what he said in the second part and says that they should make the best of their relationship before time runs out.  While lines 33-46 is the only part that concretely stresses "carpe diem," both of the other parts have just as important a role in demonstrating it.  Lines 1-32 serve as a introduction to the final part, as they serve as a build-up for his theme of carpe-diem that is fully expressed in the last 14 lines.