I find it new and unique to read a book that starts off going dead into a story about the start of a seaman's adventure.
Unconsciously, Marlow gives the reader an in depth explanation of what men really do when they take on the "white man's burden" in his memoir. I found it strange to hear that the whites actually enslaved the natives, (or "savages" as they called them) for their own use. When I earlier heard about the white men going to "help" these natives, I actually thought they were there to make then healthy and educate them - not put them to work. Now I understand what Marlow meant by "the Company": a bunch of white "agents" making money off blacks and their land.
To my understanding from the beginning of the book, the men on the boat do not agree with the way the whites originally treated these blacks. "There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of natives-he called them enemies!-hidden out of sight somewhere," the beginning narrator writes as if surprised the previous whites called the natives enemies. Short after that quote Marlow started his story that only seemed interesting to himself. The story of when he was one of those white men, who didn't think of the natives as enemies, but more as tools to make money and gain land.
The men on the boat at this moment are men are who I think are just seaman for the sake of adventure. They love the sea and consider it their "country." They are no longer land creatures, but ones of the sea. The first narrator spoke passionately of the sea and the way the unknown of the sea makes him feel. It's interesting to hear from Marlow about how the others of the sea see their journeys.
Honestly, I found Marlow's story very tedious, as I'm sure the crew did as well. Though his story was broadening at the same time. I'm curious to read more of this book, but I hope it is the end of story time from Marlow.
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I thought you had an interesting first impression on the story. I liked reading it because I saw other point of views I wouldn't have though of on my own. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Marlow does seem to go on and on with his tales. He does have the gift of gab, however he manages to draw others into his stories. It was an interesting insight into how blacks were percieved. I also thought their mission was to benefit the "natives" or savages as they called them. Marlow's brutal honesty was a suprising yet honest opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think that that theme of racism and his changing views on imperialism play an important role. You get to see Marlow's thoughts as time goes on. And I think this idea was brought up in class, but it's a chance to see how he thought when he was in the story, and how he thinks now, as he's telling the story.
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