Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer

Book Description

A masterpiece of twentieth-century writing, Heart of Darkness (1902) exposes the tenuous fabric that holds "civilization" together and the brutal horror at the center of European colonialism. Conrad's crowning achievement recounts Marlow's physical and psychological journey deep into the heart of the Belgian Congo in search of the mysterious trader Kurtz.

Joyce Carol Oates on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness:

"Heart of Darkness has had an influence that goes beyond the specifically literary. This parable of a man's 'heart of darkness' dramatized in the alleged 'Dark Continent' of Africa transcended its late Victorian era to acquire the stature of one of the great, if troubling, visionary works of western civilization."

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In Conrad's haunting tale, Marlow, a seaman and wanderer, recounts his physical and psychological journey in search of the enigmatic Kurtz. Travelling to the heart of the African continent, he discovers how Kurtz has gained his position of power and influence over the local people. Marlow's struggle to fathom his experience involves him in a radical questioning of not only his own nature and values but the nature and values of his society.

Customer Reviews:

The heart of noir.......2007-09-25

This book is not only the Heart of Darkness by title but by influence it is also the "heart of noir." The mood of the book and the language itself is dense and suffocating, creating an bleak atmosphere that would inspire many film noir movies of the 40s and 50s. (This is not even to mention Apocalypse Now many years later which is not-so-loosely based on this novel, but set in a different milieu.) Consider this book the grandaddy of noir if you will. The ending is as bleak as they come, and I don't think rivaled by any of its imitators.

Also I only think it fair to mention *twice* just how dense the writing is in this book. Be prepared!

It's a wonderful experience in a brooding sort of way if you can get through it though and learn to navigate the language like the narrator navigates the jungle.

If you have to read it for class, then my condolences. Under the gun this wouldn't be that fun of a read I don't think.

An Adventure Masterpiece of Profound Depth.......2007-09-24

Note: I made some Mormon reader angry over my reviews of books written by Mormons out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews. This review of the "Heart of Darkness" is very good if I do say so myself.

Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks.

Don't be put off by the word "masterpiece." The "Heart of Darkness" is a great adventure story, but so much more. You will find yourself plumbing its depths as Conrad describes a voyage up the Congo on an old steamer. Conrad's language is magnificent, and to be savored.

In modern times, Cormac McCarthy (see Blood Meridian) has recast Conrad's powerful style and made it his own. The following comparison reveals a lot about both writers.

"The Heart of Darkness," by Joseph Conrad:

"We could have fancied ourselves the first of men taking possession of an accursed inheritance, to be subdued at the cost of profound anguish and of excessive toil. But suddenly, as we struggled round a bend, there would be a glimpse of rush walls, of peaked grass-roofs, a burst of yells, a whirl of black limbs, a mass of hands clapping, of feet stamping, of bodies swaying, , of eyes rolling, under the droop of heavy and motionless foliage. The steamer toiled along slowly on the edge of a black and incomprehensible frenzy. The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us--who could tell" we were cut off from the comprehension of our surroundings; we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would be before an enthusiastic outbreak in a madhouse. We could not understand because we were too far and could not remember because we were travelling in the night of first ages, of those ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign--and no memories."

"Blood Meridian," by Cormac McCathy:

"That night they rode through a region electric and wild where strange shapes of soft blue fire ran over the metal of the hoses' trappings and the wagonwheels rolled in hoops of fire and little shapes of pale blue light came to perch in the ears of the horses and in the beards of the men. All night sheetlightning quaked and sourceless to the west beyond the midnight thunderheads, making a bluish day of the distant desert, the mountains on the sudden skyline stark and black and lived like a land of some other order out there whose true geology was not stone but fear. The thunder moved up from the southwest and lightning lit the desert all about them, blue and barren, great clanging reaches ordered out of the absolute night like some demon kingdom summoned up or changeling land that come the day would leave them neither trace nor smoke nor ruin more than any troubling dream."

A Difficult Story of Imperial Colonialism and the Individual.......2007-08-14

It should be noted immediately that "Heart of Darkness" is not an action packed morality tale like its cinematic cousin "Apocalypse Now", but an excursion into literary techniques such as symbolism and metaphor. As a result, many high school students and English under-grads are put to task to decode Conrad's frequently splendid, but occasionally arcane, use of English. Even if you are like me, (i.e. not a big fan of heavy symbolism, who prefers more literal writing) you will still enjoy this book with a little work.

Heart of Darkness takes place sometime around the turn of the 19th Century. The story is narrated by a worldly and morally ambiguous seafarer named Marlow. Marlow tells us, in great detail, about a voyage he took up the Congo River and his observations and tribulations thereof.

*Some Spoilers Follow*

A main theme to think about is Conrad's repeated thrashing of 19th Century Imperial Colonialism. There are numerous references throughout the book, including the title, of the moral ambiguity, discovery, and tension between "civilized" nations and "primitive" ones and, more importantly, applying this idea allegorically to an individual's internal struggle with his/her own individuality and moral compass.

On the negative side, this book is often over-analyzed to incomprehensibility as eager students and teachers find dubious meanings in admittedly confusing areas. I tend to chalk this up to unfortunate paragraph structure and disappointing anticlimaxes such as Marlow's visits with Kurtz.

Regardless, Conrad wrote a fine tale with historical relevance and personal insight. The trip up the river is especially brilliant. However, do not expect an action packed tale of heroes and villains, but rather think about what the "Heart of Darkness" means.

4/5

A testament........2007-08-12

This novel is a testament to the fact that Joseph Conrad's first language was not english. Easy to comprehend and inordinately difficult to read. It's emphasis on visual clarity means that you spend so much time imaging dark gloomy and oppresive that the story (what little there is) is quickly subsumed by the over descrpitive nature of Conrad's descent into the darkness of the human soul.

Different Price.......2007-08-01

The price on the book says 1.50... The text is too small and it may be better to pay a little more so you don't need a magnifying glass. Rip Off

CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer

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Essential companion for the book
CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer
Fine guide, concise, well written
We are reviewing the "notes" not the book or movie

CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer
Daniel Moran
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ASIN: 0764585843

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on The Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer, you come to understand how each of these stories deals with the "dark side" of the human character. Heart of Darkness is a journey up the Congo River to where an ivory agent, Kurtz, has succumbed to human weakness and evil, and has disintegrated into a grotesque creature. The Secret Sharer is an allegorical examination of a timid man who struggles to stifle the more physical and dangerous part of himself. Eventually, he resolves this duality and becomes more daring — and, therefore, more complete.

This concise supplement to Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer helps you understand the overall structure of the novels, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author. Features that help you study include

Part-by-part summaries and commentaries
Character maps that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters
Critical essays that provide expert insight on the novels' structure
Review sections that test your knowledge

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

Essential companion for the book.......2007-02-17

Anyone who has had to read either of these titles for school knows that teachers find a lot more in them than first meets the eye. Cliff Notes are a great way to gain insight into books and get a feel for the various interpretations. NOTE TO STUDENTS: You still have to read the book, folks. This just helps you understand it.

CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer.......2007-01-11

Reviewing CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer is an excellent way to delve into the novel before reading the novel. Cliffsnotes provides background information about the author Joseph Conrad and summative narratives of the book.

Cliffsnotes helps the reader understand the plot and subplots of the novel as well as a hint about the motives of the characters involved in the conflict.

Fine guide, concise, well written.......2005-12-29

This Cliff Notes guide provides a clear and concise analysis and discussion of the famous Conrad short novel. The author discusses Conrad's personal background as it relates to the story, and the characters, themes, plot elements, the social and cultural views and philosophy of the author, and many other aspects of the book in an easy to understand way.

Conrad is one of the few novelists, which include Melville, Tolstoy, Dostoevski, Lawrence Stern, and Jonathan Swift, whose work continues to impress me and has aged well as I've moved into my more mature years. Partly this is because of the dark themes he treats, such as the violence and cruelty and savagery lurking just below the thin veneer of civilization, the brooding and melancholy power of his prose, and partly because English wasn't even his native language--he even learned it as an adult on shipboard.

Heart of Darkness is one Conrad's shortest but greatest works in this sense, and after having read it in high school, I recently reacquainted myself with it after 30 years. I was just as impressed as I was back then. Most readers and movie fans will know the story's influence on Coppola's "Apocalypse Now," which is many ways a tribute to the Conrad book. This is a great book by one of history's greatest authors whose themes continue to resonate today. All an observant and intelligent individual has to do today to realize that Conrad was right about man's innermost nature and that we have not progressed at all in the last 10,000 years of "civilized history" is to look at the current sad state of the world and of humanity in general.

We are reviewing the "notes" not the book or movie.......2000-09-06

I could not stand reading or watching anything about Vietnam for about 10 years. I eventually watched the movie " Apocalypse Now" I found it interesting but it did not relate to anything in the central highlands. Later I saw "Pork Lips Now" and could relate this to the movie. Finally someone told me that the whole thing was based on "Heart of Darkness " ISBN: 0486264645. So I decided to read the book. I found it fascinating and much better than the movie. However I could not see the forest of the trees and needed some help in showing me what I was looking at. Because I was not in some school class, I turned to the "Cliffs Notes" Of course my views don't match the notes exactly but they gave me some questions to ask and showed me the forest. The notes include:

· Life of the Author

· Introductions to the Novel

· Lists of Characters

· Brief Plot Synopses

· Summaries & Critical Commentaries

· Critical Essay

· Suggested Essay Topics

· Selected Bibliography

Later I found a movie that was much closer to the original story,

Book Description

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED

BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

Two of Joseph Conrad's most compelling and haunting works, in which the deepest perceptions and desires of the human heart and mind are explored.

EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON

Customer Reviews:

A Classic of British Literature.......2007-02-16

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a classic of British literature. Although Conrad was born in Russia-controlled Poland and did not become fluent in English until he was 21 years old, he demonstrates a tremendous mastery of the English language. Like many of his stories, Heart of Darkness is based on one of Conrad's own adventures (when he captained a steamboat down the Congo River).

Heart of Darkness chronicles the adventures of Charlie Marlow, a sailor and wanderer whose adventures lead him into the Congo Free State (under the control of Belgium) during the height of African Imperialism. As Marlow progressed further and further into the Congo, he confronts the growing darkness of mankind. The novel is often mistakenly taught in schools as a great anti-Imperialism novel, but this is not quite accurate. Almost every aspect of Heart of Darkness is ambiguous. Although Conrad clearly criticizes the false claims of humanitarian motives in imperialism, he does not condemn the act of imperialism. It is not even clear whether Conrad considers the Africans to be human.

Despite all its ambiguities, the Heart of Darkness is an important novel. At the very least, it paints a stunning and painful portrait of the cruelty and inhumanity of imperialist activities. If Conrad is not condemning imperialism, which is likely the case, then the novel ably portrays the underlying racism (and sexism, incidentally) in European thought during the time period.

The Secret Sharer is a short-story included with some copies of Heart of Darkness. The story follows a ship captain who rescues someone from the waters and allows him to stay on his ship, hidden from the ships' crew. The man turns out to have been a sailor on another ship who killed a crew-member during a storm. The captain protects the killer and eventually allows him to escape. Like the Heart of Darkness, the Secret Sharer is an ambiguous tale open to myriad interpretations.

Conrad's writing style is, admittedly, difficult at times. Although both stories are short, it takes a considerable amount of time to finish each one. The Heart of Darkness is told almost entirely through narrative which, at times, can become confusing and force the reader to go back and re-read some of the previous passages. Some readers are turned off by Conrad's writing style, while others find it very appealing. Whether you find it challenging or not, however, it is important to read the Heart of Darkness. It is difficult to find a better portrait of the horrors of imperialism.

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Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
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Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness & the Secret Sharer (Bloom's Notes)

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Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness & the Secret Sharer (Bloom's Notes)

Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
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ASIN: 0791040593

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Critics have called Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and "The Secret Sharer" permanently valuable. Along with a collection of some of the best criticism available on his work, this text includes a brief biography of the author, structural and thematic analysis, an index of themes and ideas, and more. This series is edited by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University; Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Professor of English, New York University Graduate School. These texts are the ideal aid for all students of literature, presenting concise, easy-to-understand biographical, critical, and bibliographical information on a specific literary work. Also provided are multiple sources for book reports and term papers with a wealth of information on literary works, authors, and major characters.

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer (Barron's Book Notes)

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explains deeply but still vague
A deep look into our inner souls

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer (Barron's Book Notes)
Joseph Conrad , and Jeremy Jericho
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CliffsNotes on Conrad's Heart of Darkness & The Secret Sharer

ASIN: 081203418X

Book Description

A lively, in-depth discussion of HEART OF DARKNESS AND THE SECRET SHARER. Students are taken on an exciting journey of discovery through every scene or chapter. Also included are unique text notes, ideas for term papers, notes on the author's life as well as a glossary.

Customer Reviews:

explains deeply but still vague.......2000-04-10

if i wasnt rushed to read it i probably could've focused on the details and the parallelism. but that's why i'm here cuz i'm tryin to understand it better.

A deep look into our inner souls.......1998-12-18

When I first read "The Secret Sharer" I was left thinking about our minds wonderful experiences and how good can come from bad. Conrad writes about the truth of human experiences and the corruption of mankind in such a briliant way it is unbelievable. You can feel the captain trapped with the choice of keeping the murderer, that reminds him so much of a gloomy side of himself, or turn him in.

Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Secret Sharer (Cliffs Notes)

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We are reviewing the "notes" not the book or movie
Interesting - second time round
Compelling and symbolic
Intriguing, but I need help to understand it!
Incredibly Complex and well written

Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Secret Sharer (Cliffs Notes)
Norma Youngbirg
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ASIN: 0822005875

Book Description

Each of these stories deals with the dark side" of the human character. Heart of Darkness is a journey up a Congo river to where an ivory agent, Kurtz, mentally disintegrates into a grotesque creature. Secret Sharer is about a murderous captain who is tragically alienated from other people."

Customer Reviews:

We are reviewing the "notes" not the book or movie.......2000-06-26

· Life of the Author

· Introductions to the Novel

· Lists of Characters

· Brief Plot Synopses

· Summaries & Critical Commentaries

· Critical Essay

· Suggested Essay Topics

· Selected Bibliography

Later I found a movie that was much closer to the original story,

"Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death" (1988)

Interesting - second time round.......1999-10-15

I had one week to read this book and so my views of the depths and complexities within it were sketchy. But after taking the time to read it more slowly Conrads characters and storyline came to life. It is a novel that can only be read slowly and has to be read more than once to get a full understanding of the plot - but it is well worth it!

Compelling and symbolic.......1999-10-05

Conrad's Heart of Darkness is somewhat dense and incomprehensible, but I really enjoyed the story-- I had to give a report of it in my A.P. Lit class in high school, so I read it and watched Apocalypse Now, by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is based loosely on the novel, but I liked the film much better--GREAT TALE ALL THE WAY!!!!!

Intriguing, but I need help to understand it!.......1999-09-25

Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" was boring in some parts, and rather confusing at times, because sometimes I had to read ahead to comprehend what was going on early in the book. However, it seems to be full of symbolism and morals, yet I can't figure out what they are. I enjoyed the book, as I did Conrad's style and diction, but if anyone could help me out with the analysis of it I would appreciate it! I have an essay to write about it, various topics accepted by my professor, but I really need help understanding it. If anyone could help me out, email me at RyanKlesko@aol.com. I would love to hear from anyone who even thinks they might possibly have a clue about this book. Thanks!

Incredibly Complex and well written.......1999-06-08

Wow! This is all I have to day about Heart of Darkness. My three friends and I are all reading it right now and we have to present an English Seminar on it. We are examining the connections between this and Apocalypse Now, Francis Coppola. Once again, if you consider yourself to be intellectual, read this book.

Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer (Signet Classics)

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Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer (Signet Classics)
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
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Approaches to Teaching Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer (Approaches to Teaching World Literature)

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Approaches to Teaching Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer (Approaches to Teaching World Literature)

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Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness: A Casebook (Casebooks in Criticism)

ASIN: 0873529030

CLIFF'S NOTES ON CONRAD'S HEART OF DARKNESS & SECRET SHARER

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CLIFF'S NOTES ON CONRAD'S HEART OF DARKNESS & SECRET SHARER
Norma Youngbirg
Manufacturer: cliff's notes, inc.
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ASIN: B000UAI69M

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