Conrads Heart of Darkness and Baldwins Sonnys Blues - Essay Example

The Narrative Perspective Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues are considered great pieces of literature and this is due in no small part to the narrative style used in the works. In both of the writings, the little known narrator, who is for the most part unsure of himself, shows both a fascination as well as revulsion for the other central characters i.e. Sonny and Kurtz. This similarity and other subtle differences in the styles go to show how both the writers used their narration style to support their main themes. British imperialism and British hypocrisy concerning other cultures come across as the key themes in Heart of Darkness. The narration of the book from the viewpoint of Marlow shows his own hypocrisy from the very beginning of the story when he says that even London was once one of the darkest places on earth. Even though he knows it to be true, he does not accept that the natives in the Congo could have a culture which is at least as valuable as the one which he is a part of. In fact, the narrator struggles with ‘understanding’ a culture as well as people throughout the novella. To be fair, this lack of understanding is not limited to cultures or individuals, it also extends to places as well as emotions. For instance, even though the descriptions of different locations as given by the narrator are quite extensive, he does not see beyond what is physically present. For example, he describes the Central Station as: It was on a back water surrounded by scrub and forest, with a pretty border of smelly mud on one side, and on the three others enclosed by a crazy fence of rushes. A neglected gap was all the gate it had, and the first glance at the place was enough to let you see the flabby devil was running that show. (Conrad, 1902, Pg. 35) The most important point which can be made about the narrator is that (at least for the majority of the story) he focuses on outward appearances and refuses to look for a deeper meaning in things. Even though he shows signs of being philosophically inclined, yet he either ignores or does not care to understand the region, the people or even the actions of Kurtz. Over the period of his journey, the situation changes and he develops a somewhat deeper understanding as he is changed by his surroundings in much the same way Kurtz was. The bonds of brotherhood created by race and other common factors unite Marlow and Sonny’s brother with Kurtz and Sonny respectively. It must be noted that race as a common ground for creating an understanding between people is used very differently in both these works. Marlow finds it difficult to understand why Kurtz would associate with the natives and does not like the fact that Kurtz was in a relationship with a native while his ‘intended’ was waiting for him back home. On the other hand, Sonny’s brother is able to come to an understanding about Sonny’s drug addiction and sense of loss only when he has walked the same path as his brother. Further indicators of the novella’s theme as it follows the suggestions of British imperialism are the words used by the narrator to address and talk about different characters. The use of derogatory terms by Marlow and other characters who call the native Africans uncivilized, brutes and savages simply goes to show what their concepts are of the ‘Dark Continent’. Even Kurtz is not exempt from this since he wants all the brutes to be dead and this goes to show that he considers them beyond any hope of redemption. The hypocrisy of the main characters becomes manifest when the internal battle between good and evil rages unabated in their hearts. Marlow finds some sympathy in his heart and does not tell Kurtz’s intended about his last words and instead says that the last word said by Kurtz was her name. Even though he lies, he does it to protect an innocent woman. Kurtz own hypocrisy is shown in how he lives, eats and is in a relation with a native woman, yet he does not think nor does he consider the natives as equals. Furthermore, while the age of colonization was full of glorious ideals like hope for a new beginning, adventure and glory, Conrad’s narrator comes across as downright pessimistic about the future as well as the present. In the beginning of the novel, the greatest and wealthiest city of the world at the time i.e. London, is said to be full of gloom and darkness. Belgium is seen as being no different and that too is a dark and dreary place in the book. In fact, everywhere the narrator goes, he finds darkness and a loss of hope whether it be a great city or a broken down river station. It seems that the sadness and loss of hope inside the heart of the man is reflected outwards as the darkness in surrounding locations. The same air of an overwhelming sadness is present in Sonny’s Blues as well, for example, when the narrator sees a barmaid dancing to bouncy music he is unable to feel the joy she feels since his thoughts are preoccupied with less happy matters. However, at the end of the story, the narrator is able to come to terms with his brother and understands how the blues help his brother deal with loneliness and sorrow. I do think that the unnamed narrator in Sonny’s Blues comes out as the better since he gets an understanding of the problems surrounding Sonny. Conrad’s hero is more or less unable to understand the motives or the reasons for Kurtz’s behavior. The simple reason for that is the last scene of Sonny’s Blues where Sonny finds himself and is able to express his suffering and his victory over his grief in a blues song. At the same time, the narrator also understands and appreciates the agony and ecstasy felt by Sonny in his musical endeavors. He sends Sonny a glass of scotch and milk to show his appreciation and it becomes the representation of the biblical symbol for the cup of trembling. Music as a connection between brothers and as a uniting factor for family is very well represented in this scene since both brothers are able to clearly understand the relative positions of each other. It is clear that Baldwin does not consider music or even race to be the ultimate unifying factor between people. Even though these are important to the story and take a center stage position in the telling of the tale, they pale in comparison to the strength and value of the bond between brothers and family. While the themes of British imperialism and colonial hypocrisy are not manifest in Sonny’s blues, the narrator does show (using flashbacks) how the African American experience has not been very different from the ones which the natives in the Congo went through. Being killed by drunken white men is hardly any way of leaving the world and the narrator’s uncle suffered exactly that fate. Even though this is not a central idea for the story, it plays a part since it gives the narrator some motivation to protect Sonny from the same fate. In conclusion, the narrative styles of both Sonny’s Blues and Heart of Darkness clearly show how the narration can be used to enhance the theme of the story. The story as it is told by the narrator clearly takes on the mantle of the narrator’s inner struggle with being who he is and what he wants to be. With a simple choice of words and methods, both Conrad and Baldwin have created great works of literature that not only make us think, they also put us in place of the narrator regardless of us being comfortable in that position or not. Works Cited Conrad, J. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin, 1902. Baldwin, J. Sonny’s Blues. The Heath Anthology of American Literature Read More