Heart of Darkness

This was the hardest book for me to read. I have always had trouble with language and metaphors and symbolism which is something I'd really like to work on this year. This book reminded me a lot of other books and movies. "Heart of Darkness" is filled with dark emotions. I went through and circled all the times I found darkness or death and Lord knows how many times I was circling words. The part in the book when it talks about the woods being like a prison door made me think of the "Scarlet Letter" and how symbolistic the door there was. I also thought of a movie when the boat becomes surrounded by mist. My favorite line in the book was "The rest of the world was nowhere, as far as our eyes and ears were concerned. Just nowhere. " because it just seems like today that you can be anywhere in the world in a matter of hours, but never have I felt like there was no world. I don't know if it would be a hopeless feeling? Maybe a peaceful one? How do you think of yourself if there isn't anyone else? There was another part in the book that made me think of the sequoia trees in California. It's almost like "Jurassic Park" because it's so old and prehistoric.While reading about the part when Marlow sees all the people in the trees I thought of the movie "last of the Dogmen." I thought it was interesting when Marlow said it was like asking a tree not to move in the wind and I thought that would be the most hopeless feeling. It's like in school when I have the greatest idea and then I suggest it and the people I'm with just ignore me. That's like the worst feeling ever. Marlow reminded me a little of Amir because they both seem to have a moral compass that is off at one point and they try to bring them back to the right direction. I think Marlow is not so much guilty because of something in his past, but it's almost like a survivor guilt. He really did nothing wrong, but he sees others suffering and feels guilty. Overall it was an okay book. Not my favorite, but not the worst I've ever read. I suppose it's on to my last book!