Customer Reviews

Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Secret Sharer (Cliffs Notes)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I could not stand reading or watching anything about Vietnam for about 10 years. I eventually watched the movie "Apocalypse Now" I found it interesting but it did not relate to anything in the central highlands. Later I saw "Pork Lips Now" ( the movie parody) and could relate this to the movie. Finally someone told me that the whole thing was based on "Heart of Darkness". So I decided to read the book. I found it fascinating and much better than the movie. However I could not see the forest of the trees and needed some help in showing me what I was looking at. Because I was not in some school class, I turned to the "Cliffs Notes" Of course my views don't match the notes exactly but they gave me some questions to ask and showed me the forest. The notes include:
* Life of the Author
* Introductions to the Novel
* Lists of Characters
* Brief Plot Synopses
* Summaries & Critical Commentaries
* Critical Essay
* Suggested Essay Topics
* Selected Bibliography
Later I found a movie that was much closer to the original story,
"Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death" (1988)

Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death ~ Shannon Tweed

I had to read Heart of Darkness and write a research paper on it, and you know when a teacher assigns you and book to read you never enjoy it unless you read it on your own. While writing the research paper I hated it and everything about it, then about two years later I read it again, and this time found out everything I missed with my bad attitude. The depths that Conrad explores are unbelievable! This is were the evil nature of man egsists. After reading it a second time, I realized that the research paper that I wrote SUCKED big time.

This book was terrible when I read it the first time. It seemed to drag on and on. I had to rush through it for a class I was taking. Later, I found the time to read it at my own pace and I found it quite enjoyable. Give this book another chance! Expect to be bored the first time you read it, then read it again for meaning.

This was a novel which seemed to drag on about nothing. It carried too much symbolism in it for me to fully understand the novel.

I read the first ten pages and quit because I could not understand one word of it and it was very, very boring.

good, but lacks some detail

As a student, I attempted to read this book but found it very difficult. I could never "get" into it, and I thought my teacher was kidding when she gave us an essay test. I just don't think it was good at all!!

This book put me to sleep many times. I never even finished it, it's so boring!

Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" was boring in some parts, and rather confusing at times, because sometimes I had to read ahead to comprehend what was going on early in the book. However, it seems to be full of symbolism and morals, yet I can't figure out what they are. I enjoyed the book, as I did Conrad's style and diction, but if anyone could help me out with the analysis of it I would appreciate it! I have an essay to write about it, various topics accepted by my professor, but I really need help understanding it. If anyone could help me out, email me at RyanKlesko@aol.com. I would love to hear from anyone who even thinks they might possibly have a clue about this book. Thanks!

This book will not be exciting the first time you read it. Expect to be bored and maybe confused but read it again to see the meaning. If you understand the ideas expressed in this book you will change your way of thinking. Hopefully you will not get it and will throw this book away, "When you have to attend to things of that sort, to the mere incidents of the surface, the reality-the reality, I tell you-fades. The inner truth is hidden-luckily, luckily".

Ryan a mere high school student