【正确答案】正确答案：Choose one of the following authors and make a comment on any one of his/her literary works.(20 points) Comment on Joseph Conrad" s Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness tells the story of Marlow who is the narrator, Mr. Kurtz, an ivory trader, black Natives and white Pilgrims. Themes of this novel are powerful literary indictment of imperialism , spiritual journey of self-discovery for Marlow, retracing of the stages of human evolution to the prehistoric beginning, a descent into the underworld—Hades. The main character is Kurtz, an idealist when young, who worked for civilization and progress. He was shocked by the harsh reality. Driven by desires for power, wealth and fame, he degenerated into a demon-like creature. With the basest means of cheating, fooling, and playing tricks on the natives, Kurtz established himself on a semi-god status among certain native tribes. He is " a first class agent" who "sends in as much ivory as all the others put together. "Kurtz is a symbol for the faithlessness and inner emptiness of the modern world, the climactic example of all the monstrous colonizers. The structure of Heart of Darkness is like that of Russian dolls, which means that you open each doll up, and there is another doll inside. Much of the meaning in Heart of Darkness is found not in the center of the book, the heart of Africa, but on the periphery of the book. Patterns of Three is employed in this novel—you will find three chapters, three times Marlow breaks the story, three stations, three women(Aunt, Mistress, Intended), three central characters(Kurtz, Marlow, Narrator)and three views of Africa(adventure, religious, economic). Contrast in Heart of Darkness is obvious. Much of the imagery is arranged in patterns of opposition and contrast, for example light/dark, black/white, civilized/savaged, outer/inner. Black/dark symbolizes death, evil, ignorance, mystery, savagery, uncivilized, which is a symbol existing in European society for centuries. According to Christianity, in the beginning of time all was dark and God created light. Middle Ages, when science and knowledge was suppressed, then became the Dark Ages. According to Heart of Darkness, before the Romans came, England was dark. In the same way, Africa was considered to be in the "dark stage". White/light symbolizes life, goodness, enlightenment, civilized, religion. Yet, in Conrad, the usual pattern is reverse and darkness means truth, while whiteness means falsehood. This contrast tells a political truth about colonialism in the Congo. The contrast also suggests a psychological truth about Marlow and the Europeans mind. The truth within, therefore is dark and obscure. White also suggests any number of unpleasant moral truths. The trade in ivory is white and dirty. Kurtz the white man is totally corrupt. Civilization and savagery is another contrast. The book implies that civilizations are created by the laws and codes that encourage men to achieve higher standards. The law acts as a buffer to prevent men from reverting back to their darker tendencies. Civilization, however, must be learned. London itself, in the book a symbol of enlightenment, was once "one of the darker places of the earth" before the Romans forced civilization upon the Britons. But civilized society does not get rid of primeval savage tendencies which lurk in the background. This savagery is seen in Kurtz. Marlow meets Kurtz and he finds a man that has totally thrown off the restraint of civilization and has de-evolved into a primitive state. Marlow and Kurtz are two opposite examples of human conditions. Kurtz represents what every man will become if left to his own intrinsic desires without a protective, civilized environment. Marlow represents the civilized soul that has not been drawn back into savagery by a dark, alienating jungle. When Marlow arrives at the station he is disgusted by the sight of wasted human life and ruined supplies. The manager" s senseless cruelty overwhelms him with anger and disgust. He longs to see Kurtz—a fabulously successful ivory agent and hated by the company manager. More and more, Marlow turns away from the white people and towards the dark jungle(a symbol of reality and truth.)He begins to identify with Kurtz—long before he sees or talks to him. The affinity between the two men becomes a symbolic unity. Marlow and Kurtz are the light and dark selves of a single person. Marlow is what Kurtz might have been, and Kurtz is what Marlow might have become.