Techniques and Effects in Heart of Darkness

Over the past 13 years of my life, I’ve always endured different types books.  Everyone has different opinions and preferences, including authors.  Many prefer to use various techniques and/or effects.  By them doing so, it enhances the tone and significance in the story and allows it to pop out more.  In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a frame effect is used thus leading to embedded narration.  In the novella, the introduction consists of a first narrator introducing the protagonist, Marlow.  As the story continues on, the events of Kurtz, becomes embedded with the first narration.  The idea and use of the narration in this novella allows the meaning of the story to advance to a more descriptive and in depth experience.

Personally I feel that the technique chosen, best suites Heart of Darkness.  With the multiple narrations taking place and also the use of frame effect, tend to come off as eye-catching.  Different views and thoughts are narrated with each character.  The details used, reel in the reader by almost making them feel as if they are in the scene.  In the beginning pages of the novel, Marlow describes his surroundings “In the offing the sea and sky welded together without a joint and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide...” (Joseph Conrad 3). The consistency of the details throughout create an exciting and intriguing mindset for the reader.  The embedded narration serves as a strong strategy for the layout of the novella.  By the multiple narrations going on,  it is more simple to follow and connect how the story goes on.

As a novelist, there are different approaches you could take when presenting information.  For this case scenario in dealing with a story where a lot of adventure and action takes place, it is best for a single narrator to present the happenings overall.  Let alone doing so for the sake of possible confusion, but to have the feelings of character(s) be displayed in enough detail for the point to get across is key.  Marlow describes his feelings for Kurtz’s death as “They trespassed upon my thoughts.  They were intruders whose knowledge of life was to me an irritating pretense, because I felt so sure they could not possibly know the things I know” (Conrad 70-71).   Only the character itself is capable of explaining their thoughts and deep feelings.  A first narrator is important and helpful with transitions and beginnings.

The embedded narration creates a dramatic effect as well as the frame effect that is used.  This particular novella could not be portrayed in any better format than how it was written.  The first narration opens up and gives the overall setting, then embedding into Marlow’s character and feelings.   I feel that the narration used was well transitioned and by having the novelist chose the idea of having a character describe another character; sets the point and keeps the reader hooked from beginning to the end.