After reading Crime and Punishment, Heart of Darkness seems like a nice change so far. It’s going quickly and isn’t over burdening with minute details. I am still not sure of the plot but I have a very good image in my mind of what’s happening. To be honest after the first 25 pages I don’t really have too much to say. I suppose there seems to be a good set up for an adventure story but nothing has really stood out to me so far.
I must admit I am beginning to get lost at some points of this book. While I understand what is going on and have a decent idea of the characters the vagueness is starting to frustrate me. Perhaps as I go on I will be able to understand it better, but as of now all I understand is that the crew is sailing down a river towards this unknown character Mr. Kurtz. I am curious as to whether or not he is all he’s said to be. Also confusing me is how desolate the land around the river is. I feel as if one page it is claimed to be completely uninhabited then the next page talks of towns along it or drums being heard.
Catching my attention was Marlow’s feelings on how terrible lying is. This grabbed my attention since I recently finished Crime and Punishment in which a philosophy was mentioned that lying was good, that it indeed leds to the truth. This is a tough debate; I think that taking middle grounds is the best answer. While at times it is evil, it is other times a necessary tool to find the truth or accomplish a task.
I’m enjoying the seeming simple plot of this book. Unlike Crime and punishment it dives right into the story and you have to just pick up on it as it goes along. I wish however that there was a little more to the book. It seems like it needs another big event, more action possibly. It might sound juvenile to say that but I really am bored with this book. I cannot relate to the philosophical conversations and ideas in this book as well as the ones in crime and punishment. I’m also slightly confused with the book's use of quotes, I’ve found my self drifting away as I read not quite realizing who’s talking or if some one is thinking.
I’m hoping for a good ending however I really just don’t know what is going to happen. Hopefully the book picks up soon and there’s a twist of some sort. There’s not that much left in the book so I’m guessing I can’t be to far from some action.
I’m not quit sure how I felt about this book. I didn’t finish it with a sense of satisfaction but it left me wanting more. Maybe it’s because I’m unable to truly understand the greatness of Mr. Kurtz. He seems like an amazing man but I don’t think the book did a good enough job of describing him. In Crime and Punishment I was able to see, feel, and understand the characters, I wasn’t able to do that in this novel. I almost want Fyodor Dostoevsky to describe Mr. Kurtz. I’m slightly confused as to how Mr. Kurtz’s wife was found at the end of the story. Their conversation didn’t really settle too much for me. I also don’t understand how close Marlow and Mr. Kurtz could have gotten. It seemed to me that they barely made contact with each other yet Marlow explains him to be such a good friend.
Despite any criticisms I may have I did enjoy reading the short story. While it may not of been as in depth as Crime and Punishment or as exciting as other works it still had an adventurous feeling and left it to the reader to fill in much of the story as they wish.
posted by Matt S.
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