Heart of Darkness: Blog Response #3

         We all have this belief that when we die, we will reflect on our lives and take a trip down memory lane. That seems to be what Mr. Kurtz did. The readers know Mr. Kurtz’s life filled with prosperity from ivory and fame. Yet, why would he scream “The horror! The horror!” as his final words? The life of Mr. Kurtz was actually full of horrible adventures. His career which was at the peak due to his passion of ivory was the result of his evil deeds which he performed in the company of the savages. The words 'The horror!' were the reflection of his awareness of the devilish acts he performed throughout life. He had touched the “heart of darkness.” With this mind, what did Conrad want to convey to the readers?

It is first important to take notice that Mr. Kurtz himself was not THE "heart of darkness" of the entire ivory trade in all of Africa. He is only a symbolic figure of a broader concept – the brutality of the ivory trade in nineteenth-century Africa practiced by numerous European entities. This all comes down to one remaining common thread: human tyranny, injustice, and brutality. The bottom line is that, as evidenced by the symbolic and actual correlations to Kurtz, the ivory trade, and the inhumane philosophies employed in much of the illustrated ivory trade, one can begin to grasp a larger idea, and that is the concept that a "heart of darkness" can exist in anyone.

What makes the idea of a "heart of darkness" even more so concerning to the human race is that many people whose "hearts" participate in "dark" activities or lifestyles do not even realize they are doing so. Why, many may hardly even have to try. While some ivory consumers were aware of the brutal practices used in obtaining ivory, many consumers saw only the allure of a sought-after commodity, all the while unaware of the abhorrent conditions of the African laborers. Some employees in the ivory companies sought only slightly better wages---not tyranny and supremacy over other people. Marlow, when in the book he once expresses awe over the incredible hold Kurtz has upon the ivory trade, seems to temporarily shrug aside the underlying "darkness" of Kurtz.

The darkness of men's souls. Their lack of morality. The abuse of colonialism. Kurtz is an example of the very core of darkness. He is stripped of all his outter civilized layers. Yet, can anyone really point the finger at him?