Two major characters in Heart of Darkness are Marlow and Kurtz. Other minor characters also serve to give meaning to the text as a whole. In part one, we are introduced to the accountant, the manager, the brick maker, the first class agent, and the aunt. Clearly the main action surrounds Marlow and Kurtz; however, the minor characters also serve to help illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Choose one or two of these characters and tell how he or she provides meaning to the work. What does this character help to contribute to the work?
One character that made an impression from the moment they were described was the brick maker. He is a slightly twisted character that seems to have lost his sense. He is in Africa to make bricks so structures can be built. However, he needs one staple item to make bricks, straw. The brick maker symbolizes the lack of European efficiency in Africa. He also symbolizes the lack of organization in Europe. He contributes to the novel by revealing the corruption in Europe's imperialism, and the hidden motives of the people who are suppose to be improving foreign countries.
ReplyDeleteMarlow's aunt helped to push the novel along by finding Marlow a job at the Company, a task no one else seemed to be able to do. She also seems to be a woman of high influence and powerful connections, landing Marlow a somewhat higher position and a reputation. She is described as a rather ignorant person. The author specifically states that "It's queer how out of touch with truth women are." She may represent the ignorance of Europeans, or specifically women, who have not traveled or seen anything for themselves before. They are not 'worldly,' and despite their optimistic words, they know little of what they speak of.
ReplyDeleteThe accountant helped to add meaning to the work by showing the arrogance of the Europeans. He wears fancy clothing and has up-kept hair. His overall appearance helps to exaggerate the poor living of the Africans. When the accountant points out that he has "teaching one of the natice women about the station. It was difficult. She had a distaste for the work," he pushes the idea of demoralizing women and hints to the idea that the Africans aren't 100% accepting of the European "help".
ReplyDeleteThe manager is an unpleasant person. He puts uneasiness into everyone around him. He is also only in control of the Africans because he can stay healthy and put unease into those around him. I think that this represents Europe's hold over the people. His strong health represents the country's healthiness and power. His unease represents what the Africans feel toward Europe. The Africans wish the Europeans would go away. The manager is also laze and represents the Europeans laziness. As long as the Europeans are lazy nothing in the Congo will get better.
ReplyDeleteThe accountant represents efficiency. The fact that he is described as a white man, and can calculate without mistakes signals once again how Conrad favors those of European background.
ReplyDeleteAnother minor character that is talked about very briefly, is the African who was beaten. Conrad describes a few of them as they sit against a tree; he includes descriptions that tell of lazy, hurt men who have no strength. An interesting comparison I found was when Conrad described the beaten man who returned into the savage jungle; concluding that that is where the African belonged. Conrad uses the minor characters to give a perspective on what he believes represents the history of men best. Some European based characters described show efficiency compared to the African based characters. By doing so Conrad creates a bias for the reader, giving a mood the the story as a whole.
I agree with Becca and Kenzie that the accountant serves a great role as a minor character. He is described as being an efficient worker. He is always dressed in white and avoids getting dirty. This shows how Conrad has a European bias. It contrasts the cleanliness of Europeans and shows how dirty he portrays the Africans to be. Also, the accountant introduces Marlow to Mr. Kurtz. He describes Kurtz as being a "first-class agent" and "a very remarkable person."
ReplyDeleteMitchell Harger Posted: -Minor characters
ReplyDeleteThe two people that stood out to me the most were the Accountant and the Aunt. The Accountant was the most extreme example, and was described as the most extreme example by Conrad, of a "typical" civilized European working in such a dirty, dark place. He is important to the story because he gives the reader a foil to compare to the Africans. The Aunt also stuck out to me. I believe that Conrad used a woman to emphasize the representation of the viewpoint of Africa among common citizens. The Aunt symbolizes the ordinary peoples' (of Europe) ignorance of Africa when she says, "weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways". She somewhat sets up the expectations of the atrocities being committed in the Congo.
Kyle Frederick Posted: Minor Characters: Two characters that made an impression were The Brickmaker, and The Manager, the manager was able to produce uneasiness in those around him, keeping everyone sufficiently unsettled for him to exert his control over them. This helps the story by explaining the control of the Europeans over the Africans it illuminates the struggle of the africans never being equal with European, it was a small scale dictatorship. The Brickmaker has an effect on how nothing gets done and everyone is waiting for someone else to do something to be bring essential tool some need.
ReplyDeleteConnor Frederick Posted: The minor characters that who illuminate the work as a whole are The Manager and The Accountant. The manager who dictates what everyone does within there group and how he leads them to be more efficient, he is also superior to the other people in his group just as the Europeans are the superior race. He behaves the same to his group as the Europeans behave to the Africans, he is controlling and attempts to control everyone even if it may have a negative impact. The Accountant is the exact opposite to the Africans he is the sophisticated and clean while the Africans are a foil to him being unsophisticated and inefficient.
ReplyDeleteA minor character that illuminates the work as a whole is Marlow's aunt. His aunt seems to have influence in his line of business. "My dear aunt's influential acquaintances were producing an unexpected effect upon that young man." (p.94) Because of his aunt, he himself has influence over the younger employees in his line of business. He uses this advantage to scare the young man into doing what he should be doing.
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