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An Analysis of “THE REAL,” As Reflected in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS

Joyce, Beverly Rose
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1232244552

Abstract Details

2008, Master of Arts in English, Cleveland State University, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Heart of Darkness, as a framed narrative, questions perception and authenticity. It is difficult to discern Marlow's individual voice, for it is buried within a layering of narration. Critics ascribe the words of the text to Marlow, claiming he is the one who, in Achebe's words, dehumanizes Africans. Yet, the quotation marks suggest otherwise. Perception is relevant to an analysis of Heart of Darkness, for it is unclear whose point of view constructs the text, that of Kurtz, Marlow, or the frame narrator. Since the narrative is likely composed of multiple perspectives, it is difficult to determine whose reality it reveals. Marlow questions reality and whether it is feasible to convey one's own life-sensations to another, as does Louis Althusser. Althusser discusses the difference between ideologically determined truth and authentic reality. Modernist writers, such as Eliot and Woolf, seem to agree with Althusser on how it is through great art that one might convey his own lived experiences to another. Marlow attempts to express his reality through his own art, or the story he creates about his time in the Congo. In the text, Marlow claims his goal is to allow others to see him; interestingly, Althusser claims real art allows for one to see, perceive, and feel another's reality. Critics state Marlow is searching for a sense of self in the Congo; however, it seems Marlow actually hopes to find the real, in Althusser's sense. While Marlow might glimpse the real in Africa, he seems disappointed to find reality is something he cannot have in the Western world. In fact, Marlow finds the truth of reality in Africa . . . that it is unreal. Marlow is an always already subject without an authentic voice, which seems to be what he finds horrifying.
Gary Dyer, PhD (Committee Chair)
Rachel Carnell, PhD (Committee Co-Chair)
Jennifer Jeffers, PhD (Committee Co-Chair)
110 p.
Literature
Heart of Darkness; Joseph Conrad; the real; reality; truth; modernism; Chinua Achebe;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Joyce, B. R. (2008). An Analysis of “THE REAL,” As Reflected in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1232244552

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Joyce, Beverly. An Analysis of “THE REAL,” As Reflected in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS. 2008. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1232244552.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Joyce, Beverly. "An Analysis of “THE REAL,” As Reflected in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1232244552

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.