Finished reading:
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Expectation
As one of the noted classics of modern literature I had some expectations from this book. The reason I read it is that it was a RL bookclub assignment. It is not something I would have chosen on my own.
Summary
I was reminded yet again of my inability to understand the differences that inspired people to treat those of different skin color as less. Trought the whole book I had a feeling that something was missing. The prose seemed sterile in the ascetic descritpitons Marlowe uses to conwey his story. I have missed to see the greatness in the character Kurtz. But I do see something intriguing in the character of Marlowe and the way he was driven to start his journey. I liked him a lot better before the character Kurtz was introduced.
If the story was written today it would have been filled to the brim with scenes of violence and gore. I have probably watched the movie Apocalypse Now when I was younger, but I have successfuly blocked that memory, I dislike war movies. War movies that show scenes of thoughtless acts of violence even more.
Conclusion
I have a newfound appreciation for all the native people who live off the land whose lifestyle we call primitive. It takes more humanity than a modern man has, to live out there in the wild. Primitive need for power in the mind of an ordinary man can bloom into frightening things when men are forced to gaze into the abyss of their own being.
anastasiaadamov 