Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Heart of Darkness bums me out.

Despite its cheerful and uplifting title, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad really gets me down. What is even worse is that I already had to read this stupid novel in high school. Maybe the fact that I read the first chapter and spark-noted the rest has caused this novel to come back to haunt me. As a punishment for my laziness and despicible short-cutting.

Arrrrgh! I suppose I understand why this book is "high" literature, but it gets on my nerves. Not only is it horribly depressing, it is also CONFUSING! The paragraphs and sentences are unforgivably long. But the time you get to the end of the sentence, you have to go back to the beginning to remember what the sentence was even about to begin with.

I have been trying various methods to attempt to stay focused on the text, including giving Marlow different accents, chewing gum (I've gone through four peices so far), listening to piano music, and listening to Christmas music (rather comical, but I stopped because I don't want to associate Christmas music with this confounded book.)

Not only that, this book is downright offensive, racially speaking. Now that I'm actually reading it, I'm realizing this.

Uhg. I remember now why I spark-noted it. Before cracking it open tonight, I thought to myself, "Now that I'm more mature, and have more literary experience, having dealt with Kafka, Faulkner, and Mann, surely I can handle Conrad." But no. Turns out this book is like green beans. I hate it just as much this year as I did two years ago as a senior in high school.

Well, back to Marlow and his racist adventures. I think I need a new peice of gum.

2 comments:

  1. Haha haha haha. Yes I really did laugh that much. I love the green bean part best! Also, reading your blog is like reading a book, and I love it!

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