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Post by Ally Plata on Nov 4, 2022 10:27:42 GMT -8
In "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, the narrator begins the story on board a small ship called the Nellie in a river in London. The narrator describes the sea as silent and the ship is moving at a very slow pace. He states, "The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth. […] We exchanged a few words lazily. Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht. " (Conrad 3-4). The narrator portrays the condition of the setting and their atmosphere as gloomy and dull. The atmosphere of the characters' current setting stayed silent until Marlow begins his story of his past adventure to the Congo. This is when the setting in the story switches to the Congo in Marlow's story, while the characters are slowly sailing on Thames River in London. Marlow states, "A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with venetian blinds, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar" (Conrad 14). The descriptions of the buildings in Marlow's story show that the setting is no longer on a body of water, but rather in a town. Marlow continues his story by describing his conversation with the Brickmaker, who complained that he could never find the essential materials needed to make bricks. Part 1 ends with Marlow stating, "I had plenty of time for meditation, and now and then I would give some thought to Kurtz. I wasn’t very interested in him. No. Still, I was curious to see whether this man, who had come out equipped with moral ideas of some sort, would climb to the top after all and how he would set about his work when there" (Conrad 51). His goal in his tale was to find materials to repair his ship, however was also curious of who this person named Kurtz was like. Good in depth analysis. I enjoyed you detail and textual evidence that you provided throughout your piece. This was a very well executed analysis. You touched on a lot of important detail and added in a lot of the textual evidence and imagery that was super revealing in terms of the story's setting. |
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jdong
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Post by jdong on Nov 4, 2022 13:48:44 GMT -8
In the novel Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad depicts the surroundings of his work through vivid and descriptive imagery allowing its readers to immerse in the area and environment the story places the characters in. At the start of the novel the author describes the ship called the “Nellie” that the narrator and his comrades are on over the “Thames River” (pg.3). However, it is no ordinary river, but a river of “mournful gloom, brooding motionless” in what the narrator portrays “the sea and sky welded together…in the luminous space” of “the biggest and greatest town on earth” (pg. 3). The first page is already rampant on the details of this sea that the story is set around, but the diction of bleak backdrop adds to the setting as it affects the mood of the ship causing them to relay words “lazily” (pg. 4). “For some reason or other we did not begin that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and for nothing but placid staring” (pg. 4). In the moment of the “sun set[ting]” and while the ship was “at rest” the atmosphere shifted. The narrator describes this moment of sitting on the dock as “meditative” (pg.4). This contradiction of the air of the sea to the feelings and thoughts of the narrator causes this shift from drastic gloom to a peaceful and calm setting. As the sun sets, so do the waterways of the sea.The crew then begins “to appear along the shore” (pg. 6) switching settings to the shore where they see a lighthouse. The story eases into the setting really slowly by describing the “traffic of the great city…in the deepening night upon the sleepless river” (pg. 9). With the city and river awake the crew aboard the ship were “waiting patiently…till the end of the flood.” There was a somber and still atmosphere, a perfect setting to tell a story in which Marlow opens up about what the narrator describes as “inconclusive experiences” (pg. 9). In all, the setting in the first part of Heart of Darkness describes the still moment in a gloomy atmosphere, perfect for storytelling, but with all these shifts between describing the sea as gloomy, but the mood so calm, what purpose do these contradicting descriptions entail about the setting? Does it foreshadow events that are going to be told in Marlow’s story or in future events? What does the author want to point out about these differences? Is there a central theme that is being told through the setting? Hey Jordyn! Your analysis on how Conrad's description of the Thames River is really well developed, consequently you're able to get a better understanding of how these phrases develop the reader's perception of the setting, as well as how the speaker is interpreting their surroundings. Since setting seems to have such a big influence on how this novel is interpreted -- as seen in the very in-depth descriptions of the setting, and how the sun is setting creates this really big emphasis on how big of a role it will have in the future. |
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jdong
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Post by jdong on Nov 4, 2022 14:10:17 GMT -8
In the story "Heart of Darkness" when describing the Nellie the author Joseph Conrad uses soft diction like"at rest" "nearly calm" "come and wait" (Conrad 65). Versus when describing the area around the town he uses mysterious and perilous words such as "canvas sharply peaked" "air was dark" "mournful gloom, brooding motionless" (Conrad 65). When compared, the town itself is "the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth" which could imply foreshadowing of what might happen to the town. The text then moves forward to an opinionated first person narration of themselves and their crew mates. An example of this would be, “We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward” (Conrad 65). The narrator calls and describes each crew mate as their occupation and not their name, and the occupations are higher-paying occupations in which we could interpret the ship as a more expensive ride. The river that the boat is sailing on the changes “Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound” “The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing service, crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea” (Conrad 66). All this adds to the deeper meaning of the setting, and it gives personification to the river. Overall, after the narrator described his friendly relationship with his crew mates, why would he not refer to them by name but rather by their occupation, like “Lawyer” and “Accountant”? Hi Max! Your comment on diction brought up a point I hadn't previously noticed and I think it's a really good point that you made. It creates this specific imagery as well as the idea of what the reader "should" be perceiving. The specific mention to foreshadowing also just helps create this stronger idea of what's going to happen in the future. |
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Post by Ava Mack on Nov 6, 2022 21:26:20 GMT -8
“Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad begins with the narrator, Marlow describing his surroundings. Conrad writes, “The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest”. Marlow seems to be on an expedition. Marlow then begins to describe the condition of the river, “The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits”. Marlow describes the river and ship in a very majestic way using diction like “luminous” and “gleams”. These words and the tone create a picture of a very peaceful and still river. Marlow then describes the sun setting and the way the river changes, “Flames glided in the river, small green flames, red flames, white flames, pursuing, overtaking, joining, crossing each other—then separating slowly or hastily”. The river is now compared to a hectic fire with the “flames” overlapping each other. This change in the river seems to mark a shift in the setting of the novel. Marlow begins to describe a town, “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with venetian blinds, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left”. Marlow describes this town in a very eerie way using words like “dead”, “imposing” and “deserted”. Marlow also mentions the silence in the streets and the overgrown weeds which leads the reader to believe that this is an old and run down town. This contradicts the tone with which he describes the river at the beginning of the novel. Overall, it seems that Marlow’s shift in tone and diction marks a shift in the setting.
My question is: Why does Conrad choose to start the novel in the middle of the events and then quickly shift to the beginning of the events? Will this have significance later on in the novel?
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Post by Ava Mack on Nov 6, 2022 21:41:54 GMT -8
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, starts with vivid descriptions that set the scene and add imagery to the readers’ minds. The setting of the novel is a ship, specifically the Nellie, which appears to be going through a calm part of the ocean. Conrad writes, “. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide…”(Conrad 68). It seems that the main characters are expecting the sea to get more rough, but for now it is calm. This could possibly serve to foreshadow events that will follow in the future. The surroundings besides the water seem very dark and ominous, with depictions of the sky being gloomy. The author writes, “The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless…” (Conrad 68). This setting along with the title of the novel allow us to predict that something mysterious or unexpected might happen, as gloom and darkness often represent the unknown. In addition, the sea can also represent the unknown or something unexpected that could transpire later in the book. In another description of the sky, Conrad writes, “ Imagine him here—the very end of the world, a sea the colour of lead, a sky the colour of smoke, a kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina..” (Conrad 75) Each of these descriptions establish a melancholic mood as well. The main character is surrounded by other sailors who are in his similar position, but some are more experienced, such as the character Marlow, who describes his personal experiences with the sea. The men on this sheep seem to have some sort of comradery, which is evidenced by their interactions. Conrad writes, “We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward.” (Conrad 68). In addition to the physical setting, we see a setting between the characters and their close, intertwined relationship. It leads us to wonder how the plot development will test their resolve and connection as a group. - I agree that Conrad's description of the calm sea becoming rough serves as a foreshadow for a series events later on in the book. Perhaps, there will be a sudden change in the course of events. I think that it is very interesting that you mentioned that the sea can often represent the unknown; this was not something that I had originally considered. I also like that you mentioned the relationship of the men on the ship; this relationship could also be considered a part of the setting since it may have an effect on the narrator later in the novel. |
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Post by Ava Mack on Nov 6, 2022 21:48:55 GMT -8
Throughout the novel Heart of Darkness, Marlow includes descriptions of the setting in order to paint a more realistic picture of what is occurring in the story. Before Nellie takes sail, Marlow depicts a peaceful setting. “The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river”. Marlow describes the conditions of the setting to anticipate what is to come. “In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint”. The use of figurative language, specifically vivid imagery, drawing an image of the setting for the reader. Marlow doesn’t just tell us the setting he is in, he describes it in a very detailed way so that we can get a complete picture. Once Marlow begins his adventure, there is a shift in the setting. “Flames glided in the river, small green flames, red flames, white flames, pursuing, overtaking, joining, crossing each other”. These descriptions of his new setting highlight a shift in settings, from one that is calm to one that is energetic. “A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with venetian blinds, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar.” The way Marlow speaks of this new setting alludes that Marlow is uncertain about his adventure. “A continuous noise of the rapids above hovered over this scene of inhabited devastation. A lot of people, mostly black and naked, moved about like ants. A jetty projected into the river. A blinding sunlight drowned all this at times in a sudden recrudescence of glare.” These descriptions give us insight to Marlow’s perspective in this part of his adventure. It can be concluded that through the use of “inhabited devastation”, Marlow is disappointed with the setting he is in now. -I think it is interesting how you mentioned that the way Marlow describes the town could allude that he is uncertain about his adventure. We may find out later on in the novel that Marlow regrets joining the group which may be why when he is looking back on the town, he describes it in such a gloomy and disappointed way. I also agree that Conrad made sure to describe the opening scene in great detail so that the reader became interested and immersed in the novel. |
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Post by Carol Rau on Nov 6, 2022 22:31:24 GMT -8
Read part 1 of HOD. Extract all of the textual evidence that provides insight into the conditions of the setting of the novel. Be sure to pull from the beginning to the end of the section. Note any shifts in the description of the setting. Pose one question at the end of your initial post that you have about what you have read, preferably something that you don’t understand. Hopefully, your classmates in their response to you can chime in on your inquiry.In no less than 250 words answer the prompt. Respond to two classmates in no less than 100 words for each classmate. |
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Post by Carol Rau on Nov 6, 2022 22:32:14 GMT -8
In the novel the Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad utilizes vivid imagery and figurative language to set the scene of the story. The story opens on the sea described as “the flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.” This scene is a transition from chaos to peace, in which the ocean is becoming “nearly calm” and is waiting for the turn of the tide. It can symbolize the end of something. However, since it is not completely peaceful yet, the scene is barely leading to the beginning of a new story. Then, the story continues with an irony, “the air was dark … condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.” The words “mournful gloom” and “brooding motionless” juxtaposes with “biggest” and “greatest.” These contrasting descriptions all describe the location of where the story happens, London, which is thought to be the center of industry and glamor, but can also be dark on the inside. Referring back to the title of the novel, London might be the “heart of darkness” that the story is based on.
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Post by Carol Rau on Nov 6, 2022 22:48:47 GMT -8
In the novel the Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad utilizes vivid imagery and figurative language to set the scene of the story. The story opens on the sea described as “the flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.” This scene is a transition from chaos to peace, in which the ocean is becoming “nearly calm” and is waiting for the turn of the tide. It can symbolize the end of something. However, since it is not completely peaceful yet, the scene is barely leading to the beginning of a new story. He then addresses that “the sea and sky were welded together without a joint.” This image reinforces that the narrator is in the middle of the ocean, and he cannot see any island. This spacious location can symbolize freedom, where he is not restricted by anything but himself. However, the ship is sailing to a destination, where his free journey will end. Next, the story continues with an irony, “the air was dark … condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.” The words “mournful gloom” and “brooding motionless” juxtaposes with “biggest” and “greatest.” These contrasting descriptions all describe the location of where the story happens, London, which is thought to be the center of industry and glamor, but can also be dark on the inside. Referring back to the title of the novel, London might be the “heart of darkness” that the story is based on.
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Post by Carol Rau on Nov 6, 2022 23:01:40 GMT -8
In "The Heart of Darkness," author Joseph Conrad utilizes vivid imagery to portray a number of complex settings within the text, in order to build on the tone of the story. For example, he starts off by telling the audience that “The sea…stretched before [them] like the beginning of an interminable waterway," creating a calm and serene tone to start the story off. This peaceful tone is built upon later when he describes how “A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to see in vanishing flatness.” In this quote, the idea of a haze makes the audience think of cool weather, which is often associated with feelings of peace and calmness, reflecting back on the initial tones created in the beginning of the story. Although we gather simple and calm tones early on in the book, the author quickly begins to contrast this with lines about fire and flames. This is especially evident in the quote: “Flames glided in the river, small green flames, red flames, white flames, pursuing, overtaking, joining, crossing each other - then separating slowly or hastily.” The heat of the fire in this quote creates a distinct contradiction with the coolness implied in the "haze" as described earlier in the book. Additionally, fire is typically associated with chaos and lack of control, which is directly juxtaposing the serene tones in the first quote. There is a tonal shift between these lines, as well as a shift in setting, as we go from a cool, peaceful ocean setting, to one of chaos and disarray. Hello Ashlyn! I agree with your interpretation of the setting. I also see how there is a sudden change in tone when the narrator switches from talking about the calmness of the ocean into the chaotic flames. Personally, I pay more attention about the color imagery and think that they may and could symbolize something in the story. Green might symbolize greed; red might symbolize anger or danger; white might symbolize purity and innocence. When all of these are mixed up together chaotically, I thought about human nature and humanity. I think these imagery foreshadows what will happen later in the story and what the story is about. |
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Post by Carol Rau on Nov 6, 2022 23:07:27 GMT -8
In the story "Heart of Darkness" when describing the Nellie the author Joseph Conrad uses soft diction like"at rest" "nearly calm" "come and wait" (Conrad 65). Versus when describing the area around the town he uses mysterious and perilous words such as "canvas sharply peaked" "air was dark" "mournful gloom, brooding motionless" (Conrad 65). When compared, the town itself is "the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth" which could imply foreshadowing of what might happen to the town. The text then moves forward to an opinionated first person narration of themselves and their crew mates. An example of this would be, “We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward” (Conrad 65). The narrator calls and describes each crew mate as their occupation and not their name, and the occupations are higher-paying occupations in which we could interpret the ship as a more expensive ride. The river that the boat is sailing on the changes “Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound” “The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing service, crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea” (Conrad 66). All this adds to the deeper meaning of the setting, and it gives personification to the river. Overall, after the narrator described his friendly relationship with his crew mates, why would he not refer to them by name but rather by their occupation, like “Lawyer” and “Accountant”? Hello Max! I really like how you focus specifically on the diction. I do think that these words and details hints about what will happen in the story in the future. Specifically with the words and phrases "at rest" and "nearly calm," I feel a sense of peace, but some anxiety since it is not completely calm yet. I think this foreshadows that even thought the sail seems peaceful, this is barely the beginning of the story. I also think that the irony behind the words air was dark" "mournful gloom, brooding motionless" and "the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth" foreshadows what will happen to the city. I also do think that these dark clouds can indicate the dark nature of these city even though they look glamorous on the outside. Hi Max! Your comment on diction brought up a point I hadn't previously noticed and I think it's a really good point that you made. It creates this specific imagery as well as the idea of what the reader "should" be perceiving. The specific mention to foreshadowing also just helps create this stronger idea of what's going to happen in the future. |
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Post by Emmye Guyer on Nov 7, 2022 10:58:47 GMT -8
Throughout the short story, “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, the author utilizes imagery and figurative language to allow the reader to place themselves in the position of the characters and recognize the scenery. The setting of the novel is a ship on the calm sea, “The flood had made, the wind clearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide…”(Conrad 68). The characters are anticipating that the sea will soon become rough and rocky. This can possibly foreshadow events that will soon occur in the novel. The author then proceeds to write, “The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless..” (Conrad 68). This quote specifically compares the title of the novel. The author wants us to predict that something mysterious will be shown later in the book. The words “gloom” and “darkness” represent that something unknown will be revealed to the reader and overall audience. The diction is also expressed throughout several scenes in the novel. For example, “‘I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn freshwater sailor for a bit’, that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences.” This particular quote showcases the slang utilized between the characters’ dialogue. It also depicts the calm attitude the character had at sea.
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Post by Charlize Chen on Nov 13, 2022 22:05:45 GMT -8
Throughout the novel, The Heart of Darkness, author Joseph Conrad provides insight on the setting of the story by utilizing vivid descriptions. In the first couple lines, Conrad illustrates the environment surrounding the characters as descripted through “the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished spirit.” We are able to establish the fact that the characters are surrounded by miles and miles of tranquil sea. As the novel progresses, the setting shifts to a more unexpected moody scenario as Conrad describes a sudden alteration in the sky: “. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide…” and “Imagine him here—the very end of the world, a sea the colour of lead, a sky the colour of smoke, a kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina..” This quote showcases the tranquility of the opening lines of the novel are now juxtaposed with depictions of brooding gloominess. This sets a different tone and reflects on the foreshadowing of the title of the novel.
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Post by erincaballero on Nov 13, 2022 23:04:35 GMT -8
In a literary context, setting refers to not only the location in which a narrative is set, but the narrative's historical time and social circumstances as well. The introduction of Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness provides readers insight on the mysterious environment as well as the territorial attitudes of the narrator and his peers. Conrad begins by orienting readers near London, describing the air as “dark above Gravesend and farther back still seem[ing to be] condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth” (65). Here, the author effectively both establishes a solemn tone and, more subtly, the narrator’s feelings of superiority regarding London in comparison to their desired destination. This attitude soon expands itself into a notion that is presumably shared among all passengers of the ship. Charlie Marlow, the novella’s secondary narrator, provides an anecdote from his childhood — a tale of colonist values learned early on. “It was not a blank space any more,” Marlow laments over a specific area on his map (71). “It had got filled since my boyhood with rivers and lakes and names. It had ceased to be a blank space of delightful mystery—a white patch for a boy to dream gloriously over. It had become a place of darkness” (71). The contrast between light and dark, as well as their corresponding positive and negative connotations, is created at the very beginning of the narrative, setting a precedent for our narrators’ tendencies to glorify territorial conquests and their race.
Question: Marlow's narration seems to occupy much more of the novella than the first unnamed narrator's. What is the significance of Conrad using quotation marks to include Marlow's dialogue as something of a framed narrative, as opposed to the unnamed narrator's narrative being secondary to Marlow's?
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Post by Austin Tinsley on Dec 11, 2022 22:45:54 GMT -8
As the novel begins, the narrator, Charles Marlow, is sitting on the deck of a ship anchored on the Thames River in London, England. The narrator describes the area as bustling and crowded, with ships coming and going, and people milling about on the docks. The river itself is described as being "yellow" and "intricate" with "a dirty gutter" running through it. He is surrounded by the "fog-wreathed" city, which is described as "a white sepulchre" (a tomb or grave) and "a city of the dead" (1). This description of London sets the tone for the novel, which is dark and eerie.
As the narrator speaks with Marlow, the setting shifts to a cozy, comfortable room inside a seaman's tavern. The room is described as being dimly lit and filled with the smells of tobacco and alcohol. Marlow's tells the narrator about his journey up the Congo River and describes the landscape as being "unspeakable" and full of "unspeakable horrors."
One question that I have about the setting of the novel is why the river is described as being "yellow" and what this might symbolize. Is it simply a physical characteristic of the river, or does it have a deeper meaning in the story?
In conclusion, the conditions of the setting in Heart of Darkness are dark, eerie, and dangerous. The isolation of the European trading stations and the brutal treatment of the native Africans reflect the disconnection and cruelty of the Europeans.
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