Your Turn

Please, ask me any question about Heart of Darkness. I'm looking forward to being stumped by you!

Essay Question

“Africa is to Europe as the picture is to Dorian Gray – a carrier onto whom the master unloads his physical and moral deformities so that he may go forward, erect and immaculate.” Chinua Achebe

Having read The Heart of Darkness and the Picture of Dorian Gray, is the above statement correct?

Please e-mail your essay to me by midnight on Friday. Thank you!

Heart of Darkness Quiz

I found this fun quiz about The Heart of Darkness. Go give it a try and test your ability to recall details of the story. Have fun!

Reading

I want to encourage you to read each others comments. Especially read my responses to the questions both of you ask me. If any observation strikes you as interesting, please post a comment about it. This will create a more interactive experience for both of you. I also recommend you read each others essays. I will post Kevin's essay, so that they will both be there. After reading it, post a comment to each other telling them what you think. I think you will find it interesting how you both have a different perspective on the question. Proof again, that in these circumstances there is no "right or wrong" answer. So please read what is on here, I know you will find it enlightening! It should only take about 30 minutes or so each week to read the comments.

Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness

Reading this book for the second time, was a little bit of a struggle for me. It is not a favorite book of mine, but it is one of the most memorable books I have ever read. Long after you finish reading it, years from now, you will still think about it. I chose to read it in this class because it is a very important piece of literature. It was written to serve as the conscious to England during a time when it was building an empire around the world. As a consequence of its quest to assert its influence in new places, Africa and Asia primarily, the natives were victimized. The African author Chinua Achebe says that Heart of Darkness justifies racism, I disagree, but he makes another interesting point. “Africa is to Europe as the picture is to Dorian Gray – a carrier onto whom the master unloads his physical and moral deformities so that he may go forward, erect and immaculate.” Having just read The Picture of Dorian Gray, I’m sure that statement really strikes you. It is a keen observation and very true. Europe raped Africa in quest of wealth. The result was a beautiful and wealthy Europe, while Africa was enslaved. I think Heart of Darkness does a good job of showing the depravity of those extracting wealth from the continent. You will notice the inhumane ways the natives were treated by the Europeans. In preparation for this book read about the author, Joseph Conrad, and what inspired him to write it. The question to keep in mind while reading is, what group of people is truly civilized?

Your comprehension questions are below. Answer the questions in bold and then choose three additional questions. Enjoy the book!

Chapter 1
1. Marlow compares the Romans and their conquest of England to Europe’s colonization of Africa. Is this an accurate comparison?

2. What do you think of Marlow’s assertion that, “‘And this also (England)’, said Marlow suddenly, ‘has been one of the dark places of the earth’”?

3. “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only.” Is this statement true, and why would Marlow feel this way after his experience in Africa? Does this also show Europe’s belief that “the ends justify the means?”

4. When we first encounter the natives, what are they doing?

5. What is it about the accountant that impresses Marlow?

6. At this point, what do we know about Kurtz? What is the mystery surrounding him?

Chapter 2
7. What is the purpose of Marlow calling the other Europeans “pilgrims”?
8. Do you see any similarities between the natives and the Europeans?

9. How did they pay the cannibals for their work? What does this say about how things are run and how natives are treated?

10. Does the story so far have a dream like quality? What makes this story feel unreal?

11. Why is it important that, “All Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz: and by-and-by I learned that, most appropriately the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs had entrusted him with the making of a report, for its future guidance”? Clearly, Kurtz is participating in these “savage customs” for his own gain. What have we learned of the character of Kurtz?

12. Why are the natives upset about Kurtz leaving?

Chapter 3
13. What are the methods Kurtz is using to extract so much ivory from the region?

14. How would you feel returning to civilization after an experience like Marlow had?

15. Why was Marlow unable to tell Kurtz’s intended the truth about him? Why does he feel a sense of loyalty towards Kurtz?

Do not forget to fill out your reading journal!

New E-mail Address

I'm so sorry about this, but I created another new e-mail address and am hoping it will be more reliable! Here it is, hilaryseverson@gmail.com. Please change your address book. Thank you and I apologize about all the problems earlier.

Chapter 11 Confusion

I think there has been some confusion about the Chapter 11
question. I want you to tell me what you think of the last line in the chapter. The last line is, "There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful." What does this tell us about Dorian? Please post your answers in the comments section of this post. Thank you!

Don't Forget

Remember, you get to ask me a question now about The Picture of Dorian Gray. You can have me answer one of the comprehension questions, or you can make up your own question. Post your question in the comments part of this post, and I will answer it there.

Essay Question

Here is your essay question for The Picture of Dorian Gray. Please e-mail it to me as a Word Document attachment. I will e-mail you back my comments on the Word Document.

Write a five paragraph essay in answer to the following question. Use examples from the book as well as from your life.

If we could see the physical effects of our choices on our soul, would we live differently?

Be sure to e-mail it to me by midnight on Friday along with your reading journal for this book.

I have read your answers to the comprehension questions. They are excellent! I will respond to them on Monday and Tuesday. I am so happy with the quality work you both have done. Well done! I feel like this is working well, do you?

Reading Journal

I have created a journal for you to use for every book we read this year. It is important for you to fill it our completely as you read the book. Before you take the SAT you will review the journal in preparation for the test. It will also help your comprehension of the books, and help you hone in on what is important to remember. You will find that the journal also prepares you for the 5 paragraph essay you will write after every book. I hope you find it useful. Please let me know how it is working for you or how we can improve it.

Important note: Keep the journals organized. Either write them out by hand in a notebook, or type them up, print them out and store them together in a notebook. You will need to send me your first journal for Picture of Dorian Gray. After that you will no longer need to send them to me. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Book Journal

1. Title:
2. Author:
3. Main Characters:
4. A few sentences describing the character traits of each of the people you listed above.
5. Theme of the Book:
6. Summary of the Plot:
7. Moral Dilemma:
8. What kind of a response did you feel towards to moral dilemma? What was your response towards the characters actions?
9. What did you think of the plot? The writing style? The character development?
10. What was your overall impression of the book?
11. Write down memorable lines or quotes from the book.

For questions 5 to 10 your answers need only a few well thought-out and crafted sentences. Jot down page numbers for you to go back to and re-read. No need to write out entire paragraphs.

Picture of Dorian Gray

I find this book incredibly fascinating because of the way it discusses the effects of sin not only on our soul but on our bodies as well. Other themes that are interesting are the importance people place on beauty, the idea of aestheticism, and the amount of influence people and books have on us. Before you begin reading the book, familiarize yourself with Oscar Wilde, his life and this book. Also research aestheticism. It is a philosophy that Lord Henry adheres to and that greatly influences Dorian Gray.

Comprehension Questions

Please answer the questions that are in bold, than choose 3 additional questions to answer. You can answer in the comments section of this post. It would probably be best for you to answer the questions as you go through the reading. It is not necessary to answer them all in one post. Post answers as you have them. I hope the following helps you understand the book better. Before you begin reading each chapter, first read the questions for the chapter.
Chapter 1
How are Basil and Henry’s opinions of Gray different?
Chapter 2
What does Henry mean by “unspotted from the world…”?
There is a monologue about people influencing another that contains the line, “because to influence a person is to give him one’s own soul…” What do you think about that?
Define hedonism. Where is that term used and by who?
What does Dorian wish/pray for?
Chapter 3
Why does Henry desire to influence Dorian?
How do people at the party respond to Henry and his philosophies about life? What type of worldview is he advocating?
Chapter 5
Describe Sibyl Vane. How are her and Dorian different? The same?
What character qualities does Mrs. Vane lack?
Chapter 7
The following quote is very important. “But the picture? What was he to say of that? It held the secret of his life, and told his story. It had taught him to love his own beauty. Would it teach him to loathe his own soul? Would he ever look at it again?” Keep this quote in mind as you read and think about the book.
When does he first notice a change in the portrait?
Chapter 9
Describe the different reactions Henry and Basil have in response to hearing of Sibyl Vane’s death.
Chapter 10
Would we behave differently if we could physically see our soul?
What is the French School of Symbolistes?
Chapter 11
The book Henry gives Dorian greatly influences him? What is greater the influence of a person or a book?
Dorian looks as though he is “unspotted from the world” so people trust him. Are looks deceiving?
What do you think of the last line of this chapter?
Chapter 12
What do you think of Henry’s assertion that, “Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man’s face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things.”
What kind of influence does Dorian have on others? Does he prove Henry right when he said, “to influence another is to give him one’s own soul.”
Chapter 19
Henry references Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Isn’t this book answering that question? What do you think of that?
What do you think of Henry’s view of Dorian’s life?
Chapter 20
Was it the portrait that ruined his life, or the fact that he can actually see his soul?

I will post the essay question next week! Its a good one:)