Books We Hated in High School: Heart of Darkness

How often is it that we are forced to suffer through reading and analyzing a book in high school only to thoroughly enjoy rereading it years later as an adult? I feel that I can say this about nearly every classic literature book or novel I read in high school. Teenagers don't like to be forced to do anything and any type of assigned scrutiny is nothing short of punishment. I really feel for our high school English teachers because these books have so much to offer in terms of enjoyment and analysis. Teenagers are just stubborn little turds.

I just spend a few days reading the novella, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and I have to say that I appreciated so much about the book. I generally prefer books that offer value in four categories: history, theology, exploring the depravity of man, and redemption/overcoming obstacles. With the exception of the last category, this book offers dialogue in all of the categories, particularly the depravity of man. This theme-in a very secular evaluation-is absolutely inescapable in this book.

Summary

The setting is 19th century central Africa along the Congo River, a region that was colonized by the Belgians and exploited for its ivory and rubber. This represented imperialism at its worst: slavery, dehumanization, resource extraction, and death all in the name of profits, but under the guise of civilizing. This was made possible by greater wealth and advancements in arms and transportation, which are quite imposing on a more isolated and less advanced society with a limited means to resist. The historical setting is an accurate depiction, but the work itself is fiction.

In the name of adventure, a sailor named Marlow embarks on an assignment of manning a steamer on the Congo River as part of an ivory extracting establishment. He encounters slavery, malnourishment, disease, and the routine death and disposal of the natives.  He becomes fascinated by a man named Mr. Kurtz, an inland manager who has excelled above all others at acquiring ivory and has also achieved a godlike status among some based on his intellectual, speaking, and motivating prowess. Propelled by the desire to meet this man, Marlow drives deeper and deeper into the jungle. When he finally arrives at Mr. Kurtz's camp, Marlow finds him sick and on the verge of death. Yet, his command of the natives' worship and reverence is not hindered. He dies soon after this on Marlow's steamer, uttering the final words "The horror! The horror!" as his existential evaluation of his own life reaches its climactic conclusion at his final breath: man is hopelessly ugly and lost.

This is a very brief summary of the plot of the book, but the bulk of the content is focused on this moral crisis of man. Marlow sees that savagery that takes place in the Congo at the hands of Europeans-who ironically viewed themselves as morally and intellectually superior. Profit was the greatest good, and any non-White sacrifices were irrelevant. This depravity is within all It us, although it is typically restrained to a degree. Mr. Kurtz had achieved a divine level of reverence and power among the natives around the Congo River. But this did not restrain his cruelty, as his quest for ivory drove him to an utter disregard for their lives or safety. He had achieved great power, status, and wealth-things that people typically find meaning in-but could only see the inescapable ugliness of the human heart and the futility of living for these things at his own death. He saw not only the depth of man's depravity, but also the depth of it in his own heart as seen by the abuse, savagery, and raping of a people that he took a major part in.

Why We Hated It

• It's an assigned reading. It goes against our rebellious nature to be complicit in our teachers' aims and assignments
• Young people always think that there is more wisdom and intrigue in modern writings (maybe besides the Bible, at least in confession) than in those over 50 years old
• The book is thought driven, rather than action driven. As a result, it appears to be boring
• We think we hate reading
• The chapters aren't short. There are three 40ish page sections. If we have to read for more than ten minutes before coming to a break, we lose interest

Why We Should Reconsider

• It's not actually long. It's less than 150 pages
• Existential and moral questions matter. Why are we here? Is there meaning? Is justice possible? How do we deal with conflicting thoughts or moral inconsistencies? These are great questions to think about
• Man is ugly. We can't deny this. Conrad explores it. We need to figure out how to deal with this reality
• To appreciate good writing. Conrad explores the depths of depravity in man in a brilliant, livid way without forcing an active plot or contrived scenarios

Conclusion

Now, to bring everything full circle. I know why teenagers are stubborn, selfish, and hard-headed. They have the same hearts that Marlow and Kurtz have, ones that have a capacity for good but are stained by fallen, self-centered impulses. They don't care about their teachers or their stupid books. They just want to look at Instagram or find funny new emojis (or sleep or learn to text, as in my day). Reading and analyzing books keeps them from doing that. As a result, they are ironically missing out on great opportunities for pleasure and self-evaluation, while also affirming one of the themes their teachers are trying to help them to recognize.

Here is my challenge to anyone who may actually read this: Find some of those books you didn't like in high school. Give them another chance. I think that you will likely have a different reaction now. These books teach and challenge us in so many ways, just as our teachers tried to. As we give these books a second chance, also think back in gratitude of your teachers who willingly chose to try to teach teenagers to think and appreciate what others have said.