Intro paragraph for essay

In "A Psychoanalytic Critic at Work," Frederick R. Karl analyzes the ambiguity as well as the intensive detail of Conrad's Heart of Darkness which clearly discusses Marlow's nightmares that reveal his inner darkness throughout his journey. Karl discusses Marlow's nightmare that changes Marlow into a different man; "Marlow, in his trip up the Congo, has suffered throuh a nightmare, an experience that sends him back a different man, now aware of depths in himself that he cannot hide." Karl exemplifies Conrad's descriptions of Marlow discovering his inner darkness through Marlow's nightmares as he progresses through his journey and how his ego tries to stay balanced through out his expedition. However, Karl also discusses how Marlow's nightmares do not destroy his ego and allow him to become an id, which Kurtz has slowly become over time in the jungle. Karl's psychoanalytic criticism of Conrad's Heart of Darkness discusses Karl's attempt to unravel Marlow's inner darkness and predicts his slow revelation of an inner darkness that overcomes him.

Blog on Items on Worksheet

On the Worksheet, I chose the first question which discusses symbols at first on the surface, and then the symbol with a deeper, secondary meaning: The Jungle in Marlow's description at first is symbolized just as a jungle in Africa that contains all of the basic items one would find in a jungle with animals and natural environments. However, the symbol of the Jungle I believe has a deeper, secondary meaning especially to Marlow because I believe the jungle is an escape from civilization for Marlow and a sense of voyage and discovery for Marlow. But, I also think that the jungle is an entrance or pathway to Marlow's heart of darkness that has not been expressed but is slowly expressed as the story progresses. Marlow's heart of darkness is a huge theme in the novel because Conrad believes it is necessary for this part of Marlow to be slowly expressed.

Essay Ideas

As of now I am slowly thinking of essay discussions or topics that I could write about in my essay. I think I am figuring out how I could use the idea of Marlow's inner darkness creeping out of his body and being revealed as he makes his way into the "heart of darkness" through his intense journey. I think this slow journey will truly change his mental stableness and will change his mentality for ever. 

Psychological Significance

The psychological significance of this journey is more effective on both Marlow and the crew members than is the actual physical journey that they have to endure. The physicality of the journey that they are taking part in is expected because on every expedition into foreign territory there is always physical endurance that they must be able to withstand both on the ship to the new territory and once they reach the new territory. But the psychological significance is the most important part of the journey because the psychological aspect is hard on both the individual and on the group. The mentality of thinking that one is journeying to a territory that is almost unknown and one is not sure whether they will meet friendly natives or dangerous ones. The psychological aspect could be the most detrimental part of an individual's mindset and could affect them in every possible way.

Heart of Darkness Q. #6

Marlow describes the painting Kurtz made of "a woman, draped and blindfolded, carrying a light torch." Kurtz was sending a message that basically told Marlow that he is in the open world and basically on his journey to Africa he is blindfolded and he only has a torch to light his way. Kurtz is saying that Marlow has no idea what he will find or where he is and its basically like a woman who is blindfolded with only a torch to light her way. The painting resembles Marlow's journey and how he has no idea where he is and what he will find on his journey. Marlow probably does agree with Kurtz's symbol because it is totally true.

Heart of darkness discussion q #2

Marlow begins his tale of a journey to the heart of darkness with an account of London because he wants to presents his colonization of Africa and how he wants to colonize the territory and basically search out to discover new land. There is a connection between London in Roman times and the English colonization of Africa because he is basically telling the reader that colonization happens everywhere and its a basic way to branch out to different areas. He is trying to depict how the Romans colonized London back during Roman times, and basically that he finds it necessary that the English colonize Africa. He wants to colonize both for adventure, revenue, and new territory.

Blogpost #8 Tone and Mood

Both Tone and Mood are elements that are usually necessary in any poem or work and provide the reader with a sense of understanding and allows them to relate to that mood. Tone and mood are not exactly necessary in a poem or play, but they do happen to appear in both and contribute to the author's meaning as well as provide emotion to the work to make it ever more dramatic. The authors sometimes do not purposefully provide a tone or mood to their work to make it sound dramatic, but rather it is automatically placed or even made up by the reader to make their experience of reading better. For example, when comparing poems such as "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats, and "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats are examples of poems with in some ways the same tone/mood are presented in both poems. Yeats provides his poem with a very ominous and dark foreshadowing tone because he discusses chaos and disorder in civilization. The Second coming is a time of chaos and where basically the world is falling apart and there is nothing to stop this disorder. Keats's explains his poem with a very similar tone and mood  about chaos and about anarchy that exists during the poem's time. Keats is very descriptive and this provides the tone with a lot more meaning and makes his poem become filled with emotion.