Blog 9. Eat, Love, Pray.

Just a couple of scenes from this very successful film. We are trying to not to judge, so we will not comment...yet.

1. So what do you think so far? Like? Dislike? Why?

2. Elizabeth: what's the problem for her? Define her issue. What is she missing? What does she want?

3. And how is her traveling the world—eating often—the solution to her issue(s), her problem(s), her wants and/or needs?

4. Go for it: there's a "horror" here. What might, would, that be? And how so?

We'll see what she gets to eat and discover tomorrow. See you then!

Blog 8. Chinua Achebe. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness"

Sorry this is so late!

Chinua Achebe, the first African novelist to gain popularity in The West—Europe and American, wrote this famous essay clearly in anger. It is pretty much required reading when considering the charges of racism that have been leveled at our text in the later half of the 20th century. In my seminar this year, we debated the question of racism in the book for a whole period—and the question never quite went away.

So: what do you think of Achebe's argument? Agree? Disagree? Agree with parts? Write a paragraph in response to our question. Go ahead and quote a couple times in your response.

We'll talk about this tomorrow and maybe watch parts of Hearts of Darkness, Eleanor Coppola's documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now.

Blog #7. Heart of Darkness. "The Horror."

Haven't we heard that before? Indeed, we have!

We haven't talked about it—there's so much to talk about, isn't there?—but Brando's Kurtz is certainly not physically the Kurtz of Conrad. But maybe he works. So...

1. Did you find Brando's Kurtz true to the Kurtz of the novella—extra weight and all? In fact, could you make an argument that Brando's heft is as legitimate a physical picture of Kurtz as is the emaciated form of the novella's Kurtz?

2. What do you think of The Intended? Why is she here, do you think? And how does she compareo or contrast to The Woman back in Africa?

3. We have to ask: "The horror! The horror!" In this work, what is it? Go ahead and quote in your response—something other than, of course, "The horror! The horror!"

4. Marlow: he lies to The Intended. Why? And what does this make you think of Marlow—what does this say to you about our...hero? Whatever the heck he is in the story.

5. The last paragraph of the book. For you, how does it conclude the story? To what effect—to what purpose—does it end the book? Quote from that paragraph in your response.

We made it down the river and back. Whew! See you all tomorrow.

Blog #6 Heart of Darkness -- first half of Part III

Having spent the morning discussing Kurtz, let's give the man a rest and think instead about a couple of new characters -- characters who just happen to be closely connected to Kurtz. 

1.  What do you think about the Russian?  He has no name, only a nationality which is interesting, but what other significance do you find in this young man?

Then indulge us and watch this clip from Apocalypse Now.  Did Coppola do Conrad's Russian justice in this scene?

2. The Woman!  Yes, females do appear along this largely masculine route.  What can you say about Marlowe's description of her?  What IS this woman?  Keep in mind this is the first female we've seen since we left Marlowe's well connected Aunt back in Europe.

No Blog Tonight.

Make sure you all read to 43, and stop at the paragraph ending "The banks looked pretty well alike, the depth appeared the same...

Blog 5. Heart of Darkness Through Part 1. "Rivets!"

Poor Marlow. All he wants is to go to his new post. But his steamer needs rivets—and there are "cases of them down at the coast—cases—piled up—burst—split!" (28). But none ever make it to him. Calico, yes, but not rivets. Where is the "efficiency"(6) that he so desires—the efficiency that makes conquering so possible?

1. If Heart of Darkness is, on one hand, a commentary on colonialism—making it a commentary on Europe itself, since just about every country in Europe at this time engaged in colonizing throughout the world—what so far is Conrad's commentary? What do you think he saying about colonialism? Refer to last night's reader and anything before it—quote a couple times in your answer.

2. We spent some time at the end of class today talking about Marlow and the Africans he comes upon at the Company Station. We talked about his "horror" at what he sees—and his reaction to it: a biscuit to a dying boy and then flight to the nearest white man in authority. Those of you who talked spoke sympathetically to Marlow's plight. There are who knows how many people around him dying—what's he supposed to do? Indeed. As Clark asked, and a few of you answered—What is he supposed to do? What should he do? And what is significant, telling, about what he does do? And how does this moment in the book make you see and/or feel about our hero Marlow?

3. We finally hear of Kurtz. What is your impression of him based upon what he hear about him so far in the book? How is he being presented? Quote a couple times.

4. Any questions you have about the reading?

Okay. See you guys tomorrow.

Blog 4. Heart of Darkness Through 14.

"And this also," said Marlow suddenly, "has been one of the darkest places of the earth." (5)

And so we are introduced to our narrator Charley Marlow, the "only man of us who still 'followed the sea.'" Through his eyes will we experience the story of Kurtz (though be clear, he is not the narrator—that is the unnamed owner of the yacht these successful Englishmen find themselves on). Marlow appears in other Conrad works, most notably Lord Jim, published the year after "Heart of Darkness" is published (1899). Marlow rarely says what he thinks; he is forever trying to figure out exactly what he means—and if it is even possible to know that you means.

1. Just to finish our conversation today in class. Based on what we talked about today, and having had time to think about it, what do you think now is the "horror" Kurtz whispers at the end?

2. Response to these opening pages of the novella? Like? Dislike? Difficult? Really difficult? Why? Address all these questions. Give us a good sense of how you are dealing with this book.

3. What is the biggest question you have about the reading? What, above all else, makes no sense to you?

4. What image in the book particularly stuck out to you? Why? Quote in your response.

That's more than enough questions. See you guys tomorrow.