Heart of Darkness Reflection

            A little over a century is a long time. Since 1902 the year in which Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was published, we have made long strides forward in deteriorating social problems like racism. However Heart of Darkness was published before the notion that all men are equal and should be free, which in turn greatly impacted the tone of the novel as a whole. This made me wonder how the novel might have been different if society had different view on foreigners at the time. Joseph Conrad´s views were surely a byproduct of the mainstream thoughts at the time.

            Our main character from part I Marlow is quite skeptical about the prejudices that his fellow Europeans share. This objective point of view is important because it allows us to view the novel through discerning eyes. However it is important to understand that Marlow still has racist tendencies, he still possesses the typical European mentality that Africans were uncivilized savages and has clear moments of prejudice. For example; “they were dying slowly-it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now-nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom. (83) This quote exemplifies perfectly how Conrad dehumanizes Africans and how his views are shaped by the colonial mindset of the time.

            When coming across works of literature like Heart of Darkness it is important to remember the context in which it was written. The book is a clear example of racism, but would have disagreed with it if you were a European living in 1902? Probably not. This novel clearly demonstrates the influence of society on an individual and reminds us to once in a while questions society’s view.

1.      What examples from the song are ironic?

“Great Nations of Europe”

“He had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds they say
the great nations of Europe were quite holy in their way.”

This song has quite a bit of irony in it. I actually found the title to be somewhat ironic, since he calls them great even though he depicts them as barbaric. Irony is basically using certain words to convey the opposite about what those words mean, so you can see how calling them “Great” or “Religious” is very contradictory.

2.      What examples are not Ironic?

“There's pictures in a museum, some lines written in a book
but you won't find a live one, no matter where you look.”

“Destroying everything in its path from sea to shining sea
like the great nations of Europe in the 16th century.”

These  examples are not ironic because in the present we know these things to be true. He is describing actual events and even though the tone is lighter it is still very literal.

Character Change in OFOCN

Watching characters evolve and develop throughout a novel is one of the biggest payoffs in literature. In One Flew over the Cuckoo´s Nest Chief Bromden goes though the combine and emerges quite differently. However this is not thanks to Nurse Ratchet’s attempts at rehabilitation. Even though the Chief succeeds in escaping from the fog, the rest of the patients don’t. This raises the question: can people really change? I believe with the right circumstances people can rise to the occasion and change themselves for the better. 



               A lot of people believe that mental illnesses are incurable, that they can only really just be temporarily dealt with. Modern psychiatry proves that this is untrue. Nevertheless In the context of this novel mental medicine was quite more barbaric than it is today. Patients including the chief were afraid to deal with their problems because it could lead to treatments like EST. This creates quite a problem for the mental stability of the chief. We must remember that it was fear that turned chief Bromden "death and dumb". It is only through the help of McMurphy who is not plagued with fear that he eventually transforms and refuses to hide in the fog again. It is very significant to the novel as a whole that the chief was able to change himself, as it McMurphy´s goal to prove to nurse ratchet that his ways are superior to hers.
 
               In the end it is McMurphy who helps us answer our question. Through the use of perseverance and will power the Chief succeeds in changing himself and proving the nurse wrong.

Portayal of Women in OFOCN

            The portrayal of women through literature does not really exemplify the power of control women can exert. However in the novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest we are introduced to nurse Ratchet. Through the use of powerful imagery Ken Kessey succeeds in making nurse Ratchet an imposing character throughout the novel.

            Nurse Ratchet is basically the only significant female character in the book, making her quite unique. Even though she is described as having large breasts there is no sexual quality to her, she exudes only a cold calculating persona. Through the eyes most people the nurse is an amicable person. The chief however might describe her as one of the key pieces of the “combine”. We know the Chief is not the most trustworthy of narrators especially after reading a passage like this:  “She’s going to tear the black bastard’s limb from limb, she’s so furious. She’s swelling up, swells till her backs splitting out of the white uniform.” Still an image like that can’t be ignored. The nurse immediately induces fear wherever she goes; all the patients know what lies underneath that calm exterior. There is a sharp contrast in the way the nurse is portrayed. We see her as the “big nurse” or the way she behaves in the group meetings; calm and collected, but still seething with anger.

            Nurse Ratchet was a pleasant surprise from the standard fare of passive female characters. Her impact is so large that pop culture often refers to her when describing emasculating women. What made this possible was the vivid imagery that made her more believable than most characters.  She has become a staple in American literature and female figures.