Joe Conrad :: essays research papers fc

Joseph Conrad was a very talented author. He started writing at the develop of thirty-two, and begantelling publicy tales of his life on the sea. In his youth he was a sailor and traveled to many placessuch as the Orient, and the Congo. It ar his experiences on the Congo that serves as his primarysource for his floor The means of Darkness. This book was actually a story of a man, CharlesMarlow, telling the story of his experience in Africa. While in Africa, Marlows attitude towardslife changes as can be seen in the following excerpts from the book.     "We live in the flicker-may it suffer as long as the old earth keeps rolling" (68). WhenMarlow gives that summon, he has not yet started his story. He is on a ship after a bad storm, and isabout to begin. This particular quote has a craving to it. It tells one to live every moment to thefullest because life is but a flicker. This quote also tells the reader that Marlow wants to live along life. afte r finishing the book, his story seemed a bit strange because Marlows tonebecame undersize enthusiastic at the end. However, Marlow survived through the experiences he toldin his story. If he is as yet able to look back at his life and say, "may it belong as long as the old earthkeeps rolling," hence he must make the most out of it, and not permit a few bad experiences changehis attitude towards it.          I couldnt ease asking him once what he meant by coming there at all. To make          money of course. what do you think? he said, scornfully. Then he got fever, and          had to be carried in a hammock slung under a pole...(86)     This quote tells the reader much about the type of men that went to Africa. Most went scarcely for the money-not giving a second thought to their health and safety. This particular mangot death ly ill, and still was concerned only for money. Conrad was making a statement in thisquote that too many people today do things only for money. Nobody works because they have apassion for what they do. great deal are too willing to put their lives on the line just to make a littlemoney. Marlow was disgusted when the man snapped at him. Marlow he went to Africa becausehe had desired to do so since he was a little boy. He was an explorer at heart, and did not risk his