Second Think Coming: Heart of Darkness

As the McDonald jingle goes: I'm loving it.

Not the book per se but my perseverance to understand it. This kind of tenacity is often appreciated by the Maths teacher when you try to crack (factorise) a cubic equation.

But a piece of literature: you are either supposed to like it or not.

I mean it is the spontaneous philosophy of love-at-first-sightism that states that all reaction to Art must emerge from the gut.

But that need not be the case. Upon my first reading, I do not like to know the background of a story or how it is precariously positioned like a tarantula on burning coals of historical and literary contexts.

Just dive right in: that is my approach.

But with HOD, I think I am beginning to get an insight into this stark writing after reading some criticisms and plot summaries.

It is deemed the precursor to the modern novel.

Honestly I am still struggling to understand why the style is so heavily titled towards recalling the feelinngs of Marlow rather than actual happenings.

Uptil page 65 if I recall, he is thrilled to meet the great man Kurtz in the Innner Station. Nothing ever 'happens' in the novel--- I read in one criticism, that this is the uniqueness of this writing that it tends to be so character-driven rather than having a plot-heavy style.

I would love it if we can use this forum to expand our understanding of literature beginning with this milestone.

So I invite your comments and musings.