Darkness

Hello all, having misunderstood the assignment, I wrote my reader response on the topic of my choice, in other words on a topic that was not on the list. I chose to look at darkness, how it is represented in the book and tried to guess at which Darkness the book's title referred to. Here's my (shortened) reader response on the subject;

So far in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”, we as readers are still left to speculate what “darkness” is referred to in the title of the book. There is no lack of the word itself; however darkness and somber tones are used throughout the book to describe an entire range of objects and concepts, leaving us unsure of which usage of the term is the important one.

Darkness can be found in the wool of the old women in Brussels, in the skin color of the slaves, in the night, in the undergrowth of the Jungle trees at night and all around [...] Kurtz. [...] darkness is omnipresent through the tone of the narration, linking these separate themes together.[...] there is a certain passivity and restraint to the character’s (Marlow’s) tone and actions in the face of such animated events. [examples]. This passivity of character is also accompanied by the length of time in this book; [...]. Through this dark narration, all the dark attributes of the Congo seem to blur together into a single overhanging gloom that is ever present. These elements are never as closely brought together as when Marlow questions: “What was in [the wall of matted vegetation]? I could see a little ivory coming out of there, and I had heard Mr. Kurtz was in there.” (p.32)

The darkness could also be interpreted as the absurdity that is ever present: the lack of clear goals and directions, the absurd shelling of the continent by the ship; the blind leading the blind, or more precisely the blind leading themselves. [...]. These incoherencies further reinforce [...] the “overall darkness” of the book.

Therefore, it is my opinion that darkness in this book is not brought in by a single defined dark entity but by a collection of dark subjects, situations, places and people which together form the Congo. [...].

The French Man of War

Hello, I actually found the analysis of this ship particularly interesting, even if at a first glance the passage seems to possess no great significance in the novel as a whole. Here is part of my reader's response about it.

French Man of War

Marlow comes upon the French man-of-war when he is still on the coasts of Africa and has not yet reached the first station. This ship was considered the most powerful type of armed ship from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Its presence in "the empty immensity of the earth, sky, and water" (p.16) is thus a contradiction to its usual activity: the contrast between the object within the landscape creates an antithesis through imagery. It is clearly not in its rightful place and has no true reason to be here. Beyond the comical appearance of this odd situation, there lies a darker message about the role of Europe within Africa. The "incomprehensible" feeling that emanates from Marlow when discovering the ship reflects how profoundly disturbing its action really is. It fires bullets in an empty land, deranging everything around, yet "nothing happened". It perseveres in a fruitless and cruel enterprise, which only consists of destroying its surroundings. The men claim that its goal is to kill the "enemies" that are hidden somewhere; yet there is no proper evidence of their guilt. This man of war is the symbol of the Europeans' exaggerated parasitical power within the African continent, desiring to control every part of the land using the tool of destruction. However, "nothing could happen": in the end, no matter how much power they appear to have, their bullets never reach the natives. They may have colonized the land, but the essence and culture of the people remains untouched.

Papier-maché Mephistopheles

Although Ann-Sophie has just posted her interpretation of the papier-maché Mephistopheles, I too wanted to contribute my take on the comparison.

The papier maché Mephistopheles is an interesting comparison. The allusion is to the legend about the damnation of Faust, where Faust is a character who trades his soul to devil in exchange for limitless knowledge. Faust's pact is an act of ignorance, especially in its irony in which Faust was actually seeking more knowledge. Mephistopheles in the legend is a messenger or representative of the devil who meets with Faust to seal the pact, and serves his end of the bargain for 24 years. Also, papier maché is a material that can be molded and hardens when dry. In this case it seems that the so-called Mephistopheles is a manipulated character who then will serve the same purpose as the Mephistopheles as the one in the old German legend. The scene that Marlow describes evidently makes him out to be Faust and the other man (I forgot who he is) is Mephistopheles. Marlow had said before on page 25 "I fancy I see it now." The note talks about some kind of plot to eliminate Kurtz, who was next in line to become manager of the Station. Marlow apparently feels himself being dragged into this so-called plot as Faust.

The papier-mâché Mephistopheles

Hi everyone!

Here's a little snippet of my reader's response. Here, I discuss the papier-mâché Mephistopheles and its role in Marlow's story.

The papier-mâché Mephistopheles

The papier-mâché Mephistopheles is the name Marlow gives the brick-maker of the Central Station. He, at first glance, appears to be a kind soul, but it doesn’t take long for Marlow to discover that he isn’t: he is a “devil”, more than an enabler or the grim-reaper, but less than Lucifer (who, I anticipate, is Mr. Kurtz himself). This is therefore the second level of the “Inferno”. He is in papier-mâché because he is not real, though he could very well be: he is not really Mephistopheles, merely because he wants to be wants to be this type of character. They have the same traits but the difference between them is that the actual character of Mephistopheles is not discovered, whereas Marlow perceptively calls the brick-maker out in his mind, though the latter is very stealthy and smug in his position of power. Furthermore, Marlow claims:

“[…] and it seemed to me that if I tried I could poke my forefinger

through him, and find nothing inside but a little loose dirt, maybe.” (31)

The brick-maker therefore not only has an agenda, but is not even “pure” enough to be entirely composed of dirt. In terms of substance, purity (that is, complete dedication of a specific ideal, for instance), and allegiance, he has nothing to offer. He is made of “a little loose dirt” not only because he is “dirt”, but because his existence is not even worth being in possession of a lot of it. The papier-mâché Mephistopheles is but a shell. His role is, not to corrupt white men who enter the Congo, but to further their corruption, for he sees it in their souls (the proof is that they are physically on the continent in search for glory, money, and such): he pushes them to accept the horrid conditions in the Congo for his benefit and to assert his influence on incoming men.

Sheet of the Week 1/24 (Revised and Updated!)

Hi all,

It's been a while since we've all been blogging, but now that the Bac Blanc's done, it seems a good time to virtually re-convene...

A few things to look forward to this week:

Monday: Shakespeare Contest! Meet in the auditorium to watch and cheer on your fellow students for the annual Shakespeare contest.  From Falstaff to Lady Macbeth, there should be something for everyone.

Wednesday and Thursday we'll continue Heart of Darkness.  By Wednesday you should have finished reading section 1, and should complete one of the two options for the readers response.  I have high hopes that once you actually get into the novel yourselves, you'll begin to see a difference in your understanding and interest.  I know it's not easy, but it's a book for which effort definitely pays off.  And since it's one of your oral texts, you NEED to plunge in...

To that end, I'm going to ask that you post 15-20 lines of your readers response on the blog (a paragraph or two, an interesting point or question) by Friday.  I'll then ask you to respond by the following Wednesday to at least one of your colleagues on the blog as well.  You'll get a grade for both the RR and the response.  

On Thursday, I will be away at a conference, but will have you work in pairs to begin developing an oral close reading on an excerpt from the text (with a little help from the sub, who will facilitate).  You'll be turning in the outlines at the end of class, just so I can keep track of where you are and provide help on my return.

In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday.  It's not the Superbowl yet, is it??

"Facing It"

Click on the link below to see a video of Yusef Komunyakaa reading his poem "Facing It"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90yxqlVrLP8&feature=related

Review of Broadway production of Streetcar

Okay so I found this review on the New York Times website as I was researching Tennessee Williams. I made an account and copy pasted the article since you have to have be registered to see it. I thought it might be a little helpful for the synthesis question or just in general. SO HERE YA GO :)

December 4, 1947

First Night at the Theatre

By BROOKS ATKINSON

ennessee Williams has brought us a superb drama, "A Streetcar Named Desire," which was acted at the Ethel Barrymore last evening. And Jessica Tandy gives a superb performance as a rueful heroine whose misery Mr. Williams is tenderly recording. This must be one of the most perfect marriages of acting and playwriting. For the acting and playwriting are perfectly blended in a limpid performance, and it is impossible to tell where Miss Tandy begins to give form and warmth to the mood Mr. Williams has created.

Like "The Glass Menagerie," the new play is a quietly woven study of intangibles. But to this observer it shows deeper insight and represents a great step forward toward clarity. And it reveals Mr. Williams as a genuinely poetic playwright whose knowledge of people is honest and thorough and whose sympathy is profoundly human.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" is history of a gently reared Mississippi young woman who invents an artificial world to mask the hideousness of the world she has to inhabit. She comes to live with her sister, who is married to a rough-and-ready mechanic and inhabits two dreary rooms in a squalid neighborhood. Blanche- for that is her name- has delusions of grandeur, talks like an intellectual snob, buoys herself up with gaudy dreams, spends most of her time primping, covers things that are dingy with things that are bright and flees reality.

To her brother-in-law she is an unforgiveable liar. But it is soon apparent to the theatregoer that in Mr. Williams's eyes she is one of the dispossessed whose experience has unfitted her for reality; and although his attitude toward her is merciful, he does not spare her or the playgoer. For the events of "Streetcar" lead to a painful conclusion which he does not try to avoid. Although Blanche cannot face the truth, Mr. Williams does in the most imaginative and perceptive play he has written.

Since he is no literal dramatist and writes in none of the conventional forms, he presents the theatre with many problems. Under Elia Kazan's sensitive but concrete direction, the theatre has solved them admirably. Jo Mielziner has provided a beautifully lighted single setting that lightly sketches the house and the neighborhood. In this shadowy environment the performance is a work of great beauty.

Miss Tandy has a remarkably long part to play. She is hardly ever off the stage, and when she is on stage she is almost constantly talking- chattering, dreaming aloud, wondering, building enchantments out of words. Miss Tandy is a trim, agile actress with a lovely voice and quick intelligence. Her performance is almost incredibly true. For it does seem almost incredibly that she can convey it with so many shades and impulses that are accurate, revealing and true.

The rest of the acting is also of very high quality indeed. Marlon Brando as the quick-tempered, scornful, violent mechanic; Karl Malden as a stupid but wondering suitor; Kim Hunter as the patient though troubled sister- all act only with color and style but with insight.

By the usual Broadway standards, "A Streetcar Named Desire" is too long; not all those words are essential. But Mr. Williams is entitled to his own independence. For he has not forgotten that human beings are the basic subject of art. Out of poetic imagination and ordinary compassion he has spun a poignant and luminous story.