Reading an advanced literature work?

Question

Curently, I'm reading Hear of Darkness by Joseph Conrad for an English class, and to be honest, I'm confused most of the time..I don't understand what's going on in the story..the author's language is so different from any other book that I have read..I'm lost most of the time..

Do you know any way I can understand this complicated piece of literature?

Answer 1

Hi Ocean09,
Sounds like you have taken on a very challenging quest.
Joseph Conrad did not make interperting his work easy,
yet I found a couple of resources to help you. I used the Yahoo Search engine:
1) Heart of Darkness, a tale inspired by Joseph Conrad's own journey to Belgian Congo, is a novel that presents human behaviour in all its complexities, exploring the unconscious mind; and questioning the European colonial enterprise.
2) T.E. Lawrence, one of many writers whom Conrad befriended, offered some perceptive observations about Conrad's writing:

He's absolutely the most haunting thing in prose that ever was: I wish I knew how every paragraph he writes (... they are all paragraphs: he seldom writes a single sentence...) goes on sounding in waves, like the note of a tenor bell, after it stops. It's not built in the rhythm of ordinary prose, but on something existing only in his head, and as he can never say what it is he wants to say, all his things end in a kind of hunger, a suggestion of something he can't say or do or think.... He's as much a giant of the subjective as Kipling is of the objective.
3) What Conrad proposes in his synopsis, contained in the first few pages of Heart of Darkness, and posits in the body of the work, is that the individual society chooses to send to the brink of civilization must be extra-ordinary, an individual capable of staring into the dark chaos of nature and making sense of that darkness. The individual, and shamans were the first individuals, must also choose to enter the darkness, as Kurtz and Marlow chose, and, upon entering the darkness, if no sense can be made of it the individual must impose one.

In my humble opinion, Ocean, just read the book thru all the way once, and then rest a bit, spend time thinking about a part of the book that intrigues you, and trust that your subconscious mind will pick up on a theme that fits for your understanding. Remember, Conrad came from a wealthy Polish family, having a father who interperted Shakespere from English and French and taught his son to read in both those 'other' languages. Conrad was tragically orphaned at the age of eleven. He led a very intriguing life, much travel world wide before he wrote this book. When he was 36 years old he settled down in England and wrote books.
In 1923, the year before his death, Conrad, who possessed a hereditary Polish coat-of-arms, declined the offer of a British knighthood (which is not hereditary).

Knowing of all of his experiences and background should add some insight into the meaning Heart of Darkness for you.

Answer 2

Do you have a more specific question? The book is about the Belgian colonization of the Congo. In the story, the company is harvesting and dealing in ivory - in reality it was rubber. Kurtz is an employee who is operating on his own and the company wants removed. Did you ever see Apocolypse Now? Based on Heart of Darkness. Ask a more specific question if you need more help. It isnt that tough a book when you read it carefully. Think positive! C.

Answer 3

Mabzar has answered best. Award her full points. Kurtz goes to Africa, which is the heart of darkness. In the beginning of the story, characters are drinking and dining at some London club at night, and one of them thinks, "This has been the heart of darkness." He means that maybe during Roman times, 2000 years ago, the spot where they sit was the heart of darkness for some civilized Roman come to the new province of Britannia.

Answer 4

It seems such as you have study (and enjoyed?) mid-twentieth Century American writers. i think of especially cases a large concept via Ken Kesey is a stable starter-- its form and style are confusing and the writing is wealthy. using fact it rather is problematical (reasonably) on basically a appropriate point, you could connect with the story and understand the plot. moving up the ladder, attempt Gravity's Rainbow via Thomas Pynchon. it rather is complicated to maintain on with and various the references will possibly be unfamiliar, yet damn is it a large study. listening to I enjoyed Pynchon, a chum reported something via Umberto Eco. i've got yet to objective. stable success and function relaxing!

Answer 5

A site like enotes may help with a summary and biographical notes.

Answer 6

you can also try sparknotes.com or go to bedfordstmartins.com this is the site I use for world literature, it might include English lit as well