Heart Of Darkness Dialectical Journal

Grace Liu
English 12H
Mr. Nikolich
2018.3
Heart of Darkness Journals
Journal Entry #1
Detachment and Silence When narrating his story, Marlow is described as having his pose like a buddha, and he employs a detached voice in telling his story. The detachment in Marlow’s voice serves as a special way of communication, allowing Marlow’s ineffable emotions to be passed over in silence. When Marlow first sees African natives in pain, “They were dying slowly — it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation…”(Conrad, p. 14). From the amount of vivid details the narrator uses in describing the atrocities, it can be seen that the scene definitely

The book serves as a sharp contrast with the deception of Colonists as well as a symbol of solid realness within a fantastical dream where truth is impossible. When describing the book, Marlow’s diction are highly positive, using words like “honest”, “humble” and “simple”. The direct expression and singleness of intention serves as a contrast with the lies the Colonists tell to conceal the reality in Africa. Europeans justify their bloodthirsty conquest as something they did for a greater cause. In 1876, at the Geographical Conference on Central Africa, King Leopold justified “To open to civilization the only part of our globe which it has not yet penetrated, to pierce the darkness which hangs over entire peoples, is, I dare say, a crusade worthy of this century of progress” (Cleary). The reality is that King Leopold’s “charity” resulted in the death of ten million people, which is approximately 50% of Congo’s population(Cleary). The difference in Marlow’s previous perception he learned from European’s justification and the reality he learns in Africa impels Marlow to develop his hatred towards deception. This explains his sentiment towards the

“The simple old sailor, with his talk of chains and purchases, made me forget the jungle and the pilgrims in a delicious sensation of having come upon something unmistakably real”(Conrad, P.34). The content of the book is tangible and real by providing concrete information focused on seamanship. The real concreteness contrasts with the ineffable feelings Marlow experiences. “Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream — making a vain attempt, because no relation of dream can convey the dream-sensation… No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence — that which makes its truth, its meaning — its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible” (Conrad, P.24). In addition to the collection of absurd events and imagery Marlow encountered, the surreality of Marlow’s adventure is also due to the ineffable feelings intermingled together. Under the emotions and feelings that is incapable for expression, lies Marlow’s inability to make sense of his own feelings. As suggested by the quote “What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion , valor, rage — who can tell? — but truth — truth stripped of its cloak of time”(Conrad, P.32), the core of one’s existence and centre of truth lies the primal emotions that interconnect all human nature. When these