Question 1 from Worksheet: Interpret one symbol first at the surface, literal level and then as if it were a symbol in a dream vocabulary with a deeper, secondary meaning.

Symbol: Kurtz

On the surface, Kurtz is a person described as powerful, controlling, and even god-like by the Russian traveler. His personality seems to be one consiting of strength and fearlessness. His "on the surface" persona is what Marlow sees and thinks is true throughout the whole novela, until all of the 'literal' descriptions of Kurtz reveal what he actually symbolizes, being a weak, dying man who does not live up to his name. Moreover, Kurtz is nothing special or out of the ordinary once Marlow encounters him. Restricted to the jungle and the savage lifestyle, Kurtz in essense had been controlled by his surroundings and was unconsciously pushed into become this man of false power and wisdom. The jungle had no ability to fight back or stand up to Kurtz, allowing him to truly reign over the jungle. In addition, Kurtz probably died because of his horrible wrong-doings exhibited by the genocides that occured all for the purpose of getting ahold of ivory (being a pretty useless item to every day life), which ultimately justifies that Kurtz is the literal and metaphorical heart of darkness. The dark acts that he committed in the center of the darkest, most savage place on earth at the time period exhibits the fact that Kurtz has a heart of darkness, however he left his 'darkness' behind when he eventually died after leaving the center of Africa. Therefore, what every savage, traveller and pilgram seemed to have 'dreamed' about Kurtz was completely false, as his faux strength turned out to be his downfall leading to his ultimate death.