H of D Part 1 section 2

1. Marlow seems to have a strong attitude about women and the world they live in "too beautiful all together."
2. Where Marlow is going is the center of the continent and the center of the earth.
3. Look at the descriptions:
of the jungle
of the trading posts
of the indigenous peoples.
4. There seem to be lots of images of death.
5. Look at the comparisons made by size.
6. Is this a pilgrimage? Someone alludes to that.
7. This is the quotation of the Swedish captain: "It is funny what some of these people will do for a few francs a month. I wonder what becomes of that kind when it goes up country."
8. Pay attention to the broken machinery. Why is that important?
9. "This objectless blasting wall all that was going on."
10. Pay attention to the descriptions of the black people. Pay particular attention to how Marlow (and Conrad?) dehumanizes them.
11. Why is there so much mention of "devil" here?
12. Amidst all this is the accountant. Describe what he's like. Posit on the difference. What is Conrad trying to tell us?
13. We first hear about Kurtz from the accountant. Note what he says.
14. IVORY!

H of D Part 1 section 2

H of D: An important excerpt.

This is from page 17 in the green book; it's a bit short of half way through Part 1:

"Once I remember, we came upon a man-of-war anchored off the coast. There wasn't even a shed there and she was shelling the bush. It appears the Freanch had one of their wars going on thereabouts. Her ensign drooped limp like a rag, the muzzles of her long six-inch guns stuck out all over the low hull, the greasy, slimy swell swung her up lazily and let her down, swaying her thin masts. In the empty immenisty of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six-inch guns; a small flame would dart and vanish, a little white smoke would disappear, a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech--and nothing happened. Nothing could happen. There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight; and it was not dissipated by somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of natives--he called them, enemies--hidden out of sight somewhere."

Heart of Darkness Part 1 first 1/3

My purpose in writing on the blog is not to tell you what to think, but rather to point out things I think you should consider with that in mind:
1. This story has an unusual structure because it is a first-person narrative about someone telling a first-person narrative. The narrator (so far unnamed) is telling the story Charlie Marlow told them on the dock.
2. There are lots of images of the river before Marlow tells his story. Those images are about the Thames.
3. Romans? What are they about?
4. River as snake.
5. Pay attention to the job history of Marlow--and what his life story seems to be.
6. Britain v. Continent
7. Darkness.
8. Go back and note Marlow's first words.: "And this also has been one of the dark places of the earth."
9. Fresleven--the Dane. That story (though small) seems important.
10. The whited sepulchre--an allusion
11. The two women knitting.
12. What the doctor does...measuring his head? Why? Madness? Why?
13. The aunt.
What I am adding:
14. There is a great deal of connection between earth, water, and sky it seems to me.
15. There is a sense of peace, perfection, diaphanous.
16. The "venerable" stream evokes a great spirit of the past.
17. The narrator describes Marlow as a yellow, ascetic idol.

Calendar: The Big Things Through Spring Break

This calendar is tentative and subject to change:
Friday, March 13th--In-Class Essay: Bring poems from this week, a PEN, and some loose leaf paper. Check list for paper distributed.
Monday, March 16th--Essays returned. Questions. Writing Workshop
A-Day--Body paragraphs due. Typed. Peer Review
B-Day--Part 1 H of D due--discussion
Friday, March 20th--Review Introductions and Conclusion.

Monday, March 23rd--Draft 1 of entire paper due--peer review
A-Day--Part 2 H of D due--discussion
Friday, March 27th--Draft 2 of entire paper due--peer review. 3 P.M. DEADLINE FOR POINTS OF ALL PROCESS WORK. No points will be earned after this time. Remember that ALL work must be completed, however, to earn bonus points.

Monday, March 30th Final paper and the entire process is due at the beginning of the class period. Students who are planning to be absent should make arrangements to submit the paper on time or before. Students who are unexpectedly absent MUST email the final copy to Forsberg by 11:59 PM.--Things Fall Apart distributed. We will be studying this text as a response to Conrad.

A-Day--Part 3 completed. Discussion of H of D.
B-Day--Literary Lenses and another look at H of D.
Friday, April 3rd--Practice test--Multiple Choice.

Spring Break!!

Monday, April 13th Students should be finishing up Achebe/Presentations on literary lenses.

Friday's Test

You will write an in-class essay on Friday. Bring your copies of the poems we have studied. You will need them.

Research

We have begun a "research board" on the black board in Room 288. People looking for sources on particular topics can put requests there. If you have some things that you can share, please do!

Second, I have found a world catalog source that finds books you might need at local college libraries. Here's the site
http://openlibrary.org/b/OL7928461M

You will find a link on the right side listed under "borrow book." Click on it and follow the prompts.

You might want to call before you make a trip to see if they allow non-students to use their sources.