Heart of Darkness and The Catcher in the Rye

So far Heart of Darkness has reminded me somewhat of The Catcher in the Rye. It could be because I read it before Heart of Darkness but I also see that it’s very detailed and sort of gloomy like The Catcher in the Rye. Throughout the whole book Holden is depressed by his surroundings and constant mishaps happening around him and tells the reader about his experiences through many details and depressing narration much like in the Heart of Darkness when Marlow speaks of people who have died like Fresleven when he says “he was whacked mercilessly while a big crowd of his people watched….. the grass growing through his ribs was tall enough to hide his bones . . . They were dying slowly-it was very clear. They were not enemies they were criminals, they were nothing earthly now-nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom”. Also Holden only had one thing that made him happy and kept him going which was his kid sister Phoebe. Marlow’s person that makes him happy is Kurtz. They both somewhat idolize these people in their lives and center their world around them.
posted by Nateil O.