Section 3 of Heart of Darkness begins when Marlow learns that Kurtz asked the Company’s Administration to send him – Kurtz – into the jungle to prove how much ivory he could acquire, and that he sent his assistant back to the Manager because he found him a burden when working. The Manager implied that he hopes to see Kurtz die in the jungle. The plot advances when the Eldorado Expedition enters the jungle and Marlow’s steamboat is repaired. Marlow begins his voyage to the Inner Station with the Manager and other persons whom Marlow calls “pilgrims”, and 20 natives whom were also cannibals. The steamboat then comes across a hut of reeds to which a woodpile awaits. Marlow progresses inside the hut and finds evidence of a White tenant, he takes a book he found and the natives take the wood. The section ends when the unseen, silent natives fire small arrows at the steamboat while the pilgrims fire their guns into the bush. As the attack continued the helmsman was killed with a spear.
Conrad’s word choice is very selective and intricate because he chose words that the complexity feeds to the mature tone the novel reads. Conrad’s sentences are also occasionally long and flood-like because Marlow tells his story whether people are listening or not; therefore, the way Conrad writes follows Marlow’s train of thought, which can lead on into tangents. An example of this could be when Marlow describes his thoughts about Kurtz and how he often goes in depth about what he has heard or seen. Having said this, while reading this section, I can across some quotes that I thought were profound and interesting.
“The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse. By Jove! I’ve never seen anything so unreal in my life. And outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion.” (61)
The quote gives Marlow an initial impression of the Central Station where Kurtz is stationed. Since Kurtz’s station has the highest trade for ivory, the word ivory; it has been given a life of its own for the employees of the Company. It is defined as the economic freedom, social development, and an escape from a life of being an employee at the Company. Ivory has lost all physical connection and it is now considered an item of worship. The reference, “like a whiff from some corpse” is literal and figurative. In a literal sense, elephants and natives die as a consequence from the white man’s pursuit for ivory. In a figurative sense, the Company is rotten because the greed and cruelty they induce is a part of the greater evil found in the natural world.
In conclusion, I am enjoying the book so far and my personal views about the theme are very passionate. I think Conrad’s way of writing is very different and definitely not the common way of writing. This book can be very difficult to 8understand due to Conrad’s writing style and I do have trouble reading it. I find after the second or third time I read the text, I can fully understand it because I lose my way many times. I do not like how lost I get while reading, but I love the imagery and literary devices Conrad has used! For me, they are the pieces of text that get me back into the story and begin to help my visual understanding.
If I had to the opportunity to tell Conrad my thoughts, I would say that I love this book even if I can’t understand the style of writing all the time. I believe that his style enriches the story and gives it a mature theme.
Conrad’s word choice is very selective and intricate because he chose words that the complexity feeds to the mature tone the novel reads. Conrad’s sentences are also occasionally long and flood-like because Marlow tells his story whether people are listening or not; therefore, the way Conrad writes follows Marlow’s train of thought, which can lead on into tangents. An example of this could be when Marlow describes his thoughts about Kurtz and how he often goes in depth about what he has heard or seen. Having said this, while reading this section, I can across some quotes that I thought were profound and interesting.
- “The reaches opened before us and closed behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness”(61-62)
- “The bush around said nothing, and would not let us look very far, either.”(65)
- “Restraint! What possible restraint? Was it superstition, disgust, patience, fear – or some kind of primitive honour? No fear can stand up to hunger, no patience can wear it out, disgust simply does not exist where hunger is; and as to superstition, beliefs, and what you may call principles, they are less than chaff on a breeze.”(71)
“The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse. By Jove! I’ve never seen anything so unreal in my life. And outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion.” (61)
The quote gives Marlow an initial impression of the Central Station where Kurtz is stationed. Since Kurtz’s station has the highest trade for ivory, the word ivory; it has been given a life of its own for the employees of the Company. It is defined as the economic freedom, social development, and an escape from a life of being an employee at the Company. Ivory has lost all physical connection and it is now considered an item of worship. The reference, “like a whiff from some corpse” is literal and figurative. In a literal sense, elephants and natives die as a consequence from the white man’s pursuit for ivory. In a figurative sense, the Company is rotten because the greed and cruelty they induce is a part of the greater evil found in the natural world.
In conclusion, I am enjoying the book so far and my personal views about the theme are very passionate. I think Conrad’s way of writing is very different and definitely not the common way of writing. This book can be very difficult to 8understand due to Conrad’s writing style and I do have trouble reading it. I find after the second or third time I read the text, I can fully understand it because I lose my way many times. I do not like how lost I get while reading, but I love the imagery and literary devices Conrad has used! For me, they are the pieces of text that get me back into the story and begin to help my visual understanding.
If I had to the opportunity to tell Conrad my thoughts, I would say that I love this book even if I can’t understand the style of writing all the time. I believe that his style enriches the story and gives it a mature theme.