Heart of Darkness

While reading Heart of Darkness I found the character Mr. Kurtz very interesting. Throughout his story Marlow is searching for this myseterious man while in the Congo. He first learns of him through stories and tips from the people who have met this man. Soon he is on his way to meet this "talker" and man supposedly full of wisdom. He battles the natives, the river and people aboard his steamer to find this man and talk to him. He specifically recalls wanting to talk to Mr. Kurtz, not about anything in particular, but just wanting to talk to him. When he finds the book, his obsession just grows deeper with the man he had never met. I particularily liked the part where he finds the small book written by Mr. Kurtz. The lines that he finds ominous are quite interesting.

"Must nesissarily appear to them [savages] in the nature of supernatural beings- we approach them with the might as of a diety..."

"By the simple exercise of our will we can exert a power for good practically unbound..."

These few lines Marlow said captivated him and allowed for him to relate to Mr. Kurtz. I thought that the meaning behind it was pretty powerful. When the Europeans first met the savages they didn't know what to do with them. They approached them with caution and wariness. However, once they realized that they were not a diety, they destroyed them, seeing them as a threat. The second line made more sense however. He was saying that by just putting ourselves out there and trying to be compassionate and understanding we can do things for the ultimate good, that knows no bounds. But the Europeans did not see it that way instead they were on "search and destroy mode."

Another interesting point of the story that stuck out was the painting that Mr. Kurtz had done of the woman and the torch. Although I could not see the portrait I could imagine and feel the intesity that it radiated. Imagine seeing something like that admist all the chaos and death around the camp. The fact that she was blindfolded somewhat reflects what Marlow had said earlier about Kurtz's notes. People are blind to the fact of what is happening in Africa, but are supposed to be lead by a light, which could be King Leopold or some other investment.

Although Wikipedia said that they thought "Heart of Darkness" symbolized civilization and spiritual darkness that Europe brought to Africa. I guess to each their own.