Read for the readalong organized by Allie over at A Literary Odyssey.
Sometimes you just create an image in your mind of what a certain book will be like, and in this case, I was genuinely surprised on how different it turned out.
I knew Heart of Darkness was about the Belgian Congo, that it inspired Apocalypse Now and that it was an established part of the Western canon. So in my mind it was a heavy, dense story, with a vague plot full of metaphoric innuendos about human nature and how quickly we can revert to our animal origins.
What I found was a clear story that easily dragged me along. It was also the perfect book for audiobook because most of the book is story-telling my the main character. In a boat anchored in the Thames, a group of men await for the tide to turn. As night falls, Charlie Marlow starts telling the story of his experiences in an unnamed country in Africa, where he went in search of adventure.
His first task is to bring a man named Kurtz back to civilization. He’s their best ivory trader and feared to be very sick. When they find him – Marlow and his crew of native cannibals – Kurnst is not ill, he just turned native and convinced local tribes to treat him like a god. He also begun to take part in local brutal costumes, like putting a row of African heads around his house.
How sane and how mad Kurtz really became is left up to us to decide. Among the other Europeans Marlow meets in Africa, Kurtz had a reputation for competence and charisma – he was the epitome of an Alpha Dog. And yet, he dies feverishly screaming “The horror! The horror!” on the way back.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: it’s not a politically correct book. Africa and the Africans in Heart of Darkness stand for “the other world”, the opposite of civilization. Yet I thought the real stab was at the hypocritical westerners that think themselves so superior and yet…
For all his cringe-worthy remarks, I think it would be too simple to accuse Conrad of straight-out racism. There is the possibility that Conrad was actually trying to go into its origins. The Reading Life had a great post about this called “Two Vision of Heart of Darkness-Is it deeply racist or a powerful exploration of the roots of racism”.
The writing and the story really worked for me. I was especially taken with the descriptions of Marlow’s boat slowing going deeper and deeper into the darkness/wilderness, and that mix of fear and excitement Conrad created. My “favorite” character was the lonely Russian Marlow meets in the forest before finding Kurst. This young man had roamed Africa for years, restlessly “ruled by the spirit of adventure“:
‘I went a little farther,’ he said, ‘then still a little farther–till I had gone so far that I don’t know how I’ll ever get back.
Oh the tin line that keeps us in check and away from our basic (true?) urges! I never read Lord of Flies, but expect that it deals with the same themes.
Thanks Allie for organizing the join reading, this book deserves a bit of debate!
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Other thoughts: A Literary Odyssey, My Porch, The Reading Life, Melody & Words, Jules’ Book Reviews, Trish’s Reading Nook, The OF Blog, Lizzy’s Literary Life, Fifty Books Project, Open Mind, Insert Book (yours?)
17 comments
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December 5, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Tony
I definitely thought that there was much more criticism of the colonists than the natives in the book. Somehow, it has become de rigeur to hate ‘Heart of Darkness’, which is a shame as it’s a fascinating read.
December 5, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Diane@BibliophileBytheSea
This is one of those books that I have been meaning to read for a long while. Thanks for sharing.
December 5, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Larissa
Thanks for this interesting review. I also thought it would be a heavy dense thing and always avoided it. Surely I still won’t read it, but I’m glad that you helped us know more about it.
December 5, 2011 at 2:50 pm
amymckie
Hmm… interesting to think of Conrad as exploring racism in this. Given the time it was written though… I just don’t know if I can buy it! I’ve not read this one yet but have read some of Achebe’s criticism of it. Chilling.
December 5, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Sandy
I am so glad you reviewed this! I love (probably not a great word) Apocalypse Now, and I’ve also heard that State of Wonder is something like it too. I find the overt racism in older books fascinating. Like Gone With the Wind! Holy cow that one is just full of horrifying things…the beloved Ashley was a member of KKK! I’m going to see if my library has this on audio.
December 5, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Christina
I think I was the only person in my literature class senior year of class that enjoyed the book. I’m still not sure “I got it” but there was a lot of important commentary about imperialism by Europeans in Africa. I’d like to one day go back and reread it.
December 5, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Judaye
Thank you so much for the review. I will be reading it in 2012 and I have no idea what my reaction will be, but whatever it is I look forward to it.
Amymckie, I ‘m going to read Achebe’s reaction also. Thanks Everybody.
December 5, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Melissa
I read this one so many years ago I wonder if my first impression would hold up now. I wasn’t a big fan, but I think I was expecting something very different.
December 6, 2011 at 1:32 am
DeniseF
Wow! Great review I wish I had enjoyed it as much as you did.
December 6, 2011 at 5:23 am
Allie Danielson (@alliedanielson)
I’m glad you enjoyed it! i wonder if listening to it on audio would have changed my perception at all…
December 6, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Ti
I have this one. I started it and then thought it wasn’t the right time for me. Next year, I will get to it.
December 8, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Rikki
This has been on my TBR list for a long time. Sounds good, I must read it soon. Thanks for the reminder.
December 9, 2011 at 12:42 pm
yourmovedarlyn
Your review makes me want to reread this book, which is surprising. You and Mel from The Reading Life are starting to convince me to give it another try. 🙂
December 14, 2011 at 5:58 pm
The Book Whisperer
I was fascinated to read this review as I didn’t even know what this book was about! I have heard so many people say how awful it is but I am SO curious now to pick it up 🙂
January 4, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Alex
@Tony: Exactly! I felt the same thing. Strange that it has fallen into disgrace.
@Diane: You’re very welcome 🙂
@Larissa: I also had that idea, but it’s not like that at all. Very surprising.
@amymckie: I though about you when I was reading. Would be interested in your thoughts considering how much African Literature you’re read.
@Sandy: had no idea State of Wonder was inspired in HoD – interesting! Gone With the Wind also surprised me because of that, and how rational and perfectly acceptable it all seems!
@Christina: I would have loved to read this one in a class. I’m sure I’d take much more out of it.
@Judaye: I’ll be on the look out for your review!
@Melissa: I think this is one of those book that will give you a different impression with every re-reading.
@DeniseF: oh well! I was really surprised at all the hate 😛
@Allie: It might, actually! The narrator had a great voice and timing.
@Ti: Good luck 🙂
@yourmovedarlyn: I went over to Mel and it was a great review. I’m always surprised at the impact a post can have!
@The Book Whisperer: I feel like that often – need to know what the fuss is about!
January 29, 2013 at 10:22 pm
Audiobook Review: Heart of Darkness « The Indiscriminate Critic
[…] The Sleepless Reader: “Sometimes you just create an image in your mind of what a certain book will be like, and in this case, I was genuinely surprised on how different it turned out…. What I found was a clear story that easily dragged me along. It was also the perfect book for audiobook because most of the book is story-telling [by] the main character.” […]
June 14, 2013 at 3:51 am
Audiobook Review: Heart of Darkness | The Indiscriminate Critic
[…] The Sleepless Reader: “Sometimes you just create an image in your mind of what a certain book will be like, and in this case, I was genuinely surprised on how different it turned out…. What I found was a clear story that easily dragged me along. It was also the perfect book for audiobook because most of the book is story-telling [by] the main character.” […]