Hey guys-
I've read a portion of the day's essays...they're better than you would
have led me to believe. Have some confidence in yourselves!
Finish reading Heart of Darkness over the weekend. Look over the "Hero's
Journey" notes I gave you and the list of archetypal symbols. Blog a
semi-brief entry describing which archetypal elements appear prominently
in the text. Also discuss to what degree the novel adheres to, and
diverges from, the archetypal hero's journey. If you feel like looking up
the Wikipedia entry on Dante's Inferno, that would only help you better
understand Conrad's narrative structure.
There's still six people who need to blog last night's entry (one line
from the first half of the novel, discussed in terms of significance).
Please do so. If more than one half of the class doesn't blog a new entry
over the weekend, then there will be a penalty...to be determined.
HAVE A FABULOUS WEEKEND!
The most obvious archetypal symbol would be the title itself, "Heart of Darkness" in which "Darkness (or Black)" represents chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil and melancholy. We can assume that Marlow looks that the Africans as an inferior race and that Africa, in general, is an uncivilized, chaotic, yet mysterious and unknown, place.
The "Call to Adventure" is Marlow going to Africa. "Crossing of the first Threshold" would be when he reaches and witnesses Africa in all its glory. There is no "Woman as the Temptress" because there is a lack of women. He doesn't refuse to leave Africa ("Refusal of the Return"). He tries to make sense of everything when he returns to England ("The Crossing of the Return Threshold").
In relation to Dante's Inferno, Marlow first states that it seems like he is traveling to the center of the Earth. When he reaches Africa (like how Dante traverses Hell), he goes through encounters much like how Dante goes through the nine circles of hell, each generally one of the seven sins. Marlow experiences most, if not all, of the aspects of each sin.
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