Lit A -- beginnings of knowledge in the Heart of Darkness

Today's tutorial for Lit A didn't seem like it was going anywhere, but we just have to keep in mind that everything should eventually make some sense. Besides the atrocities of the Congo, can everyone keep the idea of knowledge and knowing at hand : examine how the characters know, how Marlowe knows, what they know, what should be known, how we, as the reader, get around to knowing what Conrad wants us to know, and the idea that nothing can be truly known at all. Also, contrast the processes of knowing with the processes of understanding (i.e. are they essentially different, or are they the same thing?). What kinds of knowledge or ways of transmitting knowledge are there? Sounds profound, difficult and possibly useless and ridiculous, but hey, we're not doing H2 lit for nothing. There's a reason why Heart of Darkness occupies a space of respect in the literary canon and why people gasp whenever you mention tackling the text.

I think the construction of the narrative itself performs its point on knowledge -- consider the assessment of Marlowe's attitude (i.e. outside the kernel); it's almost like a message to the reader on how to read the text. If you, as the reader, keep wanting to see if there's a point to this text, that the meaning is within the shell of the text, waiting to be cracked and revealed, then perhaps you'll never get the "point" of this text.

When Annabel said, "Marlowe cares", unlike the other seamen, it's true; Marlowe does care, but what does he care for? What has been affected by his experience? The natives? Or something else?

Read the introduction for a better understanding on how to approach the text. Also, read it because there will be a short test during lecture this week on the Intro.