How does Conrad relate /define darkness and insanity throughout the novel? 
Why does Conrad build up to Kurtz so gradually, what perception of Kurtz does Conrad want to portray?

• Nixie's conclustion
  • Madnesss is being removed from a place you are used to
    • Does she mean that it causes madness?
    • says that heads are the main symbol of madness
• Jackson says
  • That the meeting of kurtz is ironic
  • Builds up kurtzs, but when they meet him, it's anticlimatic
• Daniel responds
  • Talks about marlows changing perception of kurts
  • Connects back to insanity
    • nice one
• Madeline rebuts
  • kurts was not as expected
  • but still liked kurts at the end
• Nixie says
  • About kurtz greed with ivory?
    • not super related
• Jackson responds
  • breaks out of dillsution, "the horror! the horror!"
• Nixie interjects
  • Isolating causes kurtz madness
    • relates back to her original point
  • ties into subcoincuiss
    • Restates original point
    • hmmmmm
• Jackson
  • There is nothing at the end
• Madeline
  • About insanity:
    • conrad uses drums to represent heart beat to make the jungle seem dangerous
    • ….
• Daniel
  • As you travel the heart of darkness, you travel into kurtz mind
    • is this true? you dont know kurtz mind till near the end
• Nixes asks
  • How does conrad define madness?
• Daniel adds
  • Mostly about kurtz,
  • caused by some sort of 'darkness'

How does Conrad relate /define darkness and insanity throughout the novel? 
Why does Conrad build up to Kurtz so gradually, what perception of Kurtz does Conrad want to portray?

• Riley explains some context
• Aime describes
  • dehumanization
  • objecitifes the woman
    • beucase shes beutiful physically, marlow has more respect
  • the intended was viewed as emotional and docile
• Rowan adds
  • Beuty is inherently primal
    • stems from necessity
      • this is an intresting point. fits with the "Europe no better" thesis.
• anoushka
  • we dont see her often
  • justaposition off…?
    • hard to hear
  • strange descriptions of beuty
    • ah, the justaposition of beuty and savage?
• riley
  • kurzt is like a cult leader
  • described similary in some fashions to the natives
  • sedces his follower, buts gets seduced himself by the heart of darkness

  • takes priority over rational thinking

• aime says
  • that marlow is emotinally detached until the end
    • even when pointing our the horrid things that are happening
• rowan responds
  • describes violence to "his people" in much more detail
    • huge contrast in the descriptions
      • this is proof of racism(ish)! says rowan
        • framed narritive means that this is weird

1. Is the racism in Heart of Darkness a parody of European racism during colonial times or is it Conrad's inherent racism?




2. How did the different people who told Marlow about Kurtz alter his opinion on him, how much did their opinions influence Marlow and why did they hold more/less value?

3. Calder starts
4. is conrad inherently racist
5. why do we keep talking about this? this is not related! (not what calder said)

• Nico says
  • Conrad is truly racist
    • becuase black people speak once or twice and are dehumanized
    • its not satire
• Calder respondes
  • bassicly says it can be a depiction distinc from conrads actual beliefs
    • hard to distinguis
      • this is a good point. thx calder
• Isabella
  • uses the n-word, therefore, is racist!
• kayla
  • pattern of the n-word, therefore, nword isnt parody, therefore, is racist!
  • an author cannot have a racist protagonist withoutgh being racist
    • uh
• Nico says
  • that marlow isnt protrayed as having any flaws, and therfore, conrad is racist!
• isabella responds
  • actully marlow is painted with flaws
• kayla adds
  • conrad is writing about his experience through marlow
    • hmmmm
• nico says
  • that conrad says that europeans have been dragged down by africa
  • therfore, he truly is, racist
• isabella asks
  • clarifying question
• calder
  • europe is infecting africa
  • europe is the heart of darkness
    • oooh, intrestingg
  • maybe both cus they were infected

• isabella
  • what
• nico
  • marlow describes kurtz to the intended not with his actual beliefs but with how kurtz is described to him
  • flip flops alot
• kayla disagrees with nico
  • says that marlow doesnt belive what he said to the intended
  • did nico say this? he very well may have