Heart-of-darkness-theme-(黑暗之心)

HeartofDarkness-Questions•HeartofDarknessseemstoblurthelinebetweentheso-called“advanced”societyofEuropeandthe“primitive”societyofAfrica.Whatdoesitmeantobe“savage”or“civilized?”Whatmakesoneculture“civilized”andanother“savage”intheeyesoftheworld?Arethesedistinctionsvalid?Doyouthinkthatthecultureyouliveinis“advanced”or“civilized”?Why?Civilizationisacycle.-RomeconquersEurope,EuropeconquersAfricaMarlowsaid,Andthis(England)alsohasbeenoneofthedarkplacesoftheearth.“RomeinCaesar’stimeEnglandunderElizabethIAfricanChieftanCivilizationvs.SavageryCivilizationvs.SavageryMarlowsaid,Andthis(England)alsohasbeenoneofthedarkplacesoftheearth.“Thiscanbereadthreeways.1.“Western”civilizationisjustasbarbarousasAfricancivilizations.2.Itisasareferencetothehistoricalprecedentforcolonizationofotherpeoples.3.Civilizationmustbelearned.Civilizationvs.SavageryCivilizationactsasabuffer:--topreventmenfromrevertingbacktotheirdarkertendencies-ThetendencytoreverttosavageryisseeninKurtz.--representingwhateverymanwillbecomeiflefttohisownintrinsicdesireswithoutaprotective,civilizedenvironment-ThecivilizedsoulthathasnotbeendrawnbackintosavageryisseeninMarlow.Everymanhasaheartofdarknessthatisusuallydrownedoutbythelightofcivilization.Civilizationvs.SavageryCivilizationissuperficial:--Thelevelofcivilizationisrelatedtothephysicalandmoralenvironment.*Whilesocietyseemstorestrainthesesavagetendencies,itdoesnotgetridofthem.AbsurdityofEvilMarlow’sstruggletomaintainhissenseofmoralityMarlow'sdesiretobegoodanddogoodbecomesincreasinglyfutileashe'splungedintoaworldwherenoabsolutegoodnessexists.Conradillustratesthismoralambiguitywithlightanddarknessimagerythatoftenblendstogether.Lightvs.DarknessDarkness:death;ignorance;inability;theincomprehensible;theunknowable;negativeforceetc.→theoppositetotheVictorianera'sidealsofprogress--e.g.MarlowfindsthisbruteforcenotonlyexitsinthejunglesoftheCongo,butalsoinadvancedsociety.Light:bright;knowledge;capableineveryfield;life;perfectionetc.--e.g.ThecivilizedpeoplepossessingthelightareabletosaveAfricanpeoplefromdarkness.Whiteisnotnecessarilygood(ivoryasymbolofgreed),Blacknotnecessarilyevil(suffering)ReferencesContent:://://://:[PPT]HEARTOFDARKNESS-CowetaCountySchools