We are ready to represent the best custom paper writing assistance that can cope with any task like Golding's use of symbolism even at the eleventh hour. The matter is that we posses the greatest base of expert writers. Our staff of freelance writers includes approximately 300 experienced writers are at your disposal all year round. They are striving to provide the best ever services to the most desperate students that have already lost the hope for academic success. We offer the range of the most widely required, however, not recommended for college use papers. It is advisable to use our examples like Golding's use of symbolism in learning at public-education level. Get prepared and be smart with our best essay samples cheap and fast! Get in touch and we will write excellent custom coursework or essay especially for you.
In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses many types of symbolism. He uses examples such as the fire, the conch and hair growth. More specifically Golding states the condition of the conch, the state of the fire and the length of the boy’s hair to symbolize the savages that live within in the boys.
Golding uses the length of the boy’s hair to symbolize savageness in the boys. Initially, the longest hair grows on Jack, the most savage of the boys, and is first mentioned as he is on all fours smelling animal droppings. “His sandy hair, considerably longer than it had been when they dropped in, was lighter now; and his bare back was a mass of dark freckles and peeling sunburn” (Golding 48). Jack does not fight the growth of his hair and lets it could his mind. As the story progresses, his hair grows longer and Jack becomes more familiar with evil. Jack’s hair growth is mentioned when he is down on all fours, smelling fresh pig droppings, acting like an animal and a savage. Next, Ralph’s hair grows long, but he cannot bear being in his face and is always pushing it out of his eyes to remember things. “ Ralph pushed the idiot hair out of his eyes and looked at Piggy. ‘But the ….oh…the fire! Of course, the fire!’ “ (141). Jack does not like the hair as it is called “idiot hair”. When the hair gets in Ralph’s face, he forgets what he is going to say, but as soon as he pushes it out of the way he remembers. Ralph’s long hair is making him become a more uncivilized person, and allows evil to cloud his mind but he will continue to fight against it. Lastly, Piggy’s short hair lets him remain the civil person he is and think straight.
He was the only boy on the island whose hair never seemed
to grow. The rest were shock headed, but Piggy’s hair still
lay in wisps over his head as though boldness were his natural
state and this imperfect covering would soon go, like the velvet on a young stag’s antlers (64).
Piggy is the only one on the island whose hair has remained the same and maybe even receded. He is the only one who is very intelligent and does not allow the evil to take over his mind. Piggy understands that the beast is a mind game and still believes that the conch holds authority.
Golding uses the state that the conch is in to symbolize savageness.
First, when the boys found the conch, it was in perfect condition and had a deep, rich color to it.” In color the shell was a deep cream, touched here and there with fading pink. Between the point, worn away in to a little hole, and the pink lips of the mouth, lay eighteen inches of shell with a slight spiral twist and covered with a delicate, embossed pattern” (16). The conch was in good condition at the time when the boys behaved like civil human beings and not savage animals. When Ralph and Piggy found the conch they used to call for others. Many kids came to the sound of the conch and the group of boys decided to use it to call meetings. Secondly, when the conch’s vibrant colors began to fade, the boys separate and act uncivil. “ The group of boys looked at the white shell with affectionate respect. Piggy placed it in Ralph’s hand and the littluns, seeing the familiar symbol, started to come back” (141). Golding mentioned the bleached color of the conch at the some time the savage group of hunters state the fire. The boys are beginning to spread apart and hate each other. Because the conch is still useable, it still maintains some power of order, but only for the one who are not savage. Lastly, when the conch ceases to exist, there is no order among the boys, and they are all savages. “ The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (180). The conch exploded when Roger killed Piggy. All sense of order was lost and the conch no longer held order. Golding uses the conch to show savageness because its condition also states the amount of power it holds.
The condition of the fire is also used by Golding to symbolize savageness that lives in the boys. Initially, the reason the boys had for building a fire was so that they could be rescued and get off the island.
Almost at once a thin trickle of smoke rose up and made him cough. Jack knelt too and blew gently, so that the smoke drifted away, thickening, and a tiny flame appeared. The flame, nearly visible at first in that bright sunlight enveloped a small twig, grew, was enriched with color and reached up to branch, which exploded with a sharp crack. The flame flapped higher and the boys broke into a cheer (41).
When the flame first appeared, all of the boys were ecstatic. The only reason that the boys decided to build a fire in the first place was so that they could be rescued. At this point all of the boys are united, friends need each other’s help. Next, Ralph restricts where the fire is allowed to be. “ Now I say this and make it a rule, because I am chief. We won’t have fire anywhere but on the mountain. Ever” (81). Ralph restricts where the fires is allowed to be because other fires just waste time. The only important thing to him and the others civil ones is being rescued, but for the savages, killing pigs and eating is more important. The group had broken apart and the fire is only allowed on the mountain since they can barely keep it going. Lastly, the savages steal the only fire there is, lessening the chances of being rescued, “ ‘ They’ve got out fire.’ Rage shrilled in his voice. ‘ They stole it’” (16). The savages stole the fire and right after that, Piggy is killed and all hell breaks loose. When the savages stole the fire, they also stole any order left on the island. This loss of order results in Piggy’s death and the breaking of the conch.
William Golding uses the conch, fire and hair growth to symbolize the boy’s savageness. When the boy’s hair grows longer, the conch’s color fades and eventually breaks, and the fire’s condition, all symbolize the animal instincts that live in them.
Mind that the sample papers like Golding's use of symbolism presented are to be used for review only. In order to warn you and eliminate any plagiarism writing intentions, it is highly recommended not to use the essays in class. In cases you experience difficulties with essay writing in class and for in class use, order original papers with our expert writers. Cheap custom papers can be written from scratch for each customer that entrusts his or her academic success to our writing team. Order your unique assignment from the best custom writing services cheap and fast!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
Gothic and Grotesque
We are ready to represent the best custom paper writing assistance that can cope with any task like Gothic and Grotesque even at the eleventh hour. The matter is that we posses the greatest base of expert writers. Our staff of freelance writers includes approximately 300 experienced writers are at your disposal all year round. They are striving to provide the best ever services to the most desperate students that have already lost the hope for academic success. We offer the range of the most widely required, however, not recommended for college use papers. It is advisable to use our examples like Gothic and Grotesque in learning at public-education level. Get prepared and be smart with our best essay samples cheap and fast! Get in touch and we will write excellent custom coursework or essay especially for you.
Gothic and Grotesque
Nothing is creepier than a gripping horror story, however today’s horror genre is filled with axe-wielding maniacs wanting to literally paint the town red. Two stories that probably would not come to mind when thinking of good “wholesome” horror are Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” Although neither of these works is classified as being in the horror genre, upon deeper analysis one will see that both of these works include elements one might classify as gothic, surreal, supernatural or grotesque. These works are not equal, however, as they both have more of one aspect than the other. Conrad’s work has a little bit of all four aspects, with many examples focussing on the surreal and supernatural themes. In contrast, Kafka’s work is less gothic, focussing more on the grotesque, surreal, and supernatural.
Before delving too deep into the works, it should be explained what is meant by the terms gothic, grotesque, surreal and supernatural. Gothic is a style of story that was popular between the 1800’s and the 100’s, often involving dark, dreary settings and evil plots. Edgar Allen Poe was a great gothic writer, whose chilling thriller stories had much to do with death and dying. Grotesque is defined by the Oxford Dictionary of Current English as meaning, “repulsively distorted” which is definitely the case in both of these authors’ characters. Surreal is a term used to describe things that are not quite real, or that may be too real to some. Like trying to look at a dim star straight on in the night sky; if you stare straight at it, it seems as if it is not even there, but by looking just a little off to the side, it seems to appear just outside your point of focus. Finally, supernatural is defined by Oxford as meaning, “manifesting phenomena not explicable by natural or physical laws.” This certainly holds true; turning into a giant bug is definitely not a natural phenomenon, unless you are a smaller bug to begin with.
Now that the definitions of the criteria have been made, it is time to look at the stories, starting with Conrad’s work. One can definitely detect a gothic flavour in “Heart of Darkness.” Its dark, dreary setting sets the gothic mood right away, giving a depressing, mildly horrific atmosphere. An example of this is the narrator’s description of the sunset at the very beginning of the story
And at last, in its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from
glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat, as if
about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom
brooding over a crowd of men. (Short Fiction, 5)
Death and gloom unquestionably give the sunset a gothic spice. Even the title gives the feeling of a gothic tale. In Anthony Fothergil’s Open Guide to Literature Heart of Darkness he says “The title confronts us with a language which won’t, as it were, stand still” (). He goes on to ask the question Is it the centre of darkness, or the heart, which is dark that Conrad is referring to? (). Either way, the title gives one a premonition of gloom and evilness.
As well as being gothic, the title is also rather surreal. To leave the meaning open ended to the reader gives one the sense that the story reflects what they are thinking or feeling. This puts the story into the kind of un-reality that the surreal theme thrives in. Other surreal aspects of the story are many of the symbols regarding the underworld. Once again Fothergil voices his opinion on this subject, saying, “…it is a journey through the underworld for purposes of instruction as well as entertainment” (1). As well, Fothergil compares Kurtz to a “Shade” from classic mythology, which is an underworld inhabitant, unable to find peace, who feels the need to tell mortals their sad stories (4). This he definitely does, right up until the end with his last words “The horror! The horror!” (Short Fiction, 1). Surrealism is a big aspect in these examples; symbols of people and events with a deeper, darker meaning that touches the reader in profound ways. Perhaps everyone feels that they are making their own trek through the underworld, in their own little way.
Many of the symbols surrounding the character of Kurtz could also be seen as surreal. For example, there is the description that Marlow gives about attempted rescue of Kurtz “I had to beat this Shadow � this wandering and tormented thing…” (Authoritative Text, 67). Marlow is superimposing the image of an uneasy, miserable spirit over Kurtz, but perhaps that is who Kurtz really is, and his humanity is all superimposed. Which is the reality? As well, when Marlow speaks of the impact that Kurtz has had on him, he says, “Confound the man! He had kicked the very earth to pieces” (Authoritative Text, 67). A very surreal image is conjured out of that statement Kurtz had shattered Marlow’s beliefs, shattered his “earth.”
Another example of surrealism comes from the book entitled Heart of Darkness An Authoritative Text, Background and Sources, Essays in Criticism, edited by Robert Kimbrough. Marlow is speaking of the two women in black he sees, sitting in chairs knitting. Upon seeing one of them, and the look in her eyes he says, “Not many of those she looked at ever say her again � not half, by a long way” (11). This thought seems to say that the woman had some sort of power to curse those she looked at to death. Then again, it might just be that the people she looks at just never seem to come that way again. Two “realities” here, but which one is real and which is “surreal”?
Another theme represented by the old women is the theme of the supernatural. As stated above, one might take Marlow’s statement to mean the woman had some form of power to do harm. Also concerning the two women, he says to himself, “I thought of these two guarding the door of Darkness” (Authoritative Text, 11), which definitely brings one to think in terms of the supernatural; an image of two women, clad in black, guarding the entrance to all that is evil. As well, Marlow’s description of the dying natives definitely has a supernatural flavour, as he says, “I had stepped into the gloomy circle of some Inferno” (Authoritative Text, 17). This is a powerful image of the supernatural; the fires of Hell.
Although the scene with the dying natives can be called supernatural, one can also see how it could be classified as being grotesque. Marlow tells the reader how “Black shapes crouched, lay, sat between the trees, half coming out, half effaced within the dim light, in all the attitudes of pain, abandonment and despair…they were dying slowly…lying confusedly in the greenish gloom” (Authoritative Text, 17). What could be more grotesque than a painful, lonely, meaningless death? Death is the end of something beautiful; life. It is especially disgusting when there is no point to it, and it is done in pain.
Now that Conrad’s work has been analyzed, it is time to consider the work of Kurtz. First off, “The Metamorphosis” can definitely be classified as being grotesque. Even the concept of the story exemplifies this trait through the transformation of the main character into a gigantic bug, which is one of the most disgusting things that could happen to any human being. He is transformed into that which he would have stepped on without a second thought. His life has turned from something bearable into something abominable. What becomes of him at the end of the story is perhaps the most grotesque of it all; he becomes nothing more than an unloved dead bug. “[The charwoman pushed] Gregor’s corpse a long way to one side with her broomstick. Mrs. Samsa made a movement as if to stop her, but checked herself. ‘Well,’ said Mr. Samsa, ‘now thanks be to God’” (51). It is obvious that the family was relieved at the death of their horrifically metamorphosized son.
There are other critics who share the idea of “The Metamorphosis” being grotesque. Gunther Anders gives a great critique of the horror of many of Kafka’s stories when he says, “What makes the reading of [Kafka’s] stories such a gruesome experience is his manner of treating the grotesque as everyday normality” (1). This is evident in the first paragraphs of the story, as Gregor wakes up. He realizes he has turned into a very large insect, however he is more concerned with trivial, everyday happenings such as being late for work that with what has happened to him. The same attitude is shared by his family, but to a lesser degree. Instead of trying to find out the cause of the change, they merely keep Gregor locked in his room; out of sight, out of mind it seems.
Surrealism in “The Metamorphosis” is a very important aspect of the story. Perhaps Johannes Pfieffer best says it in his essay entitled “The Metamorphosis.” Pfieffer says that
“This balanced composition has a certain correspondence in the exactness
with which the room is imagined and in an kind of ‘magic realism,’
whereby objects are presented with such a compact wealth of detail that
they are constantly turned into something unreal or more than real” (5).
This statement virtually includes the meaning of the word surreal. The story is too fantastic to be taken literally; all Kafka’s symbols and descriptions are hints of something deeper, something more profound.
For example, look at the moving of furniture from Gregor’s room. At first Gregor is happy to have more room to walk about the walls and ceiling, until he realizes what is really happening on a deeper level. By taking out his furniture, they are denying him his humanity. In their eyes, he is an insect and nothing more now, and Gregor cannot bear that. “Did he really want his warm room…to be turned into a naked den in which he would certainly be able to crawl unhampered in all directions but at the price of …his human background?” (515).
Finally, what is Kafka’s story if it is not supernatural? The metamorphosizing of a man into an insect is definitely not any natural act. What makes Gregor’s metamorphosis all the more strange is that the author does not go into any detail as to how the change took place. Kafka simply tells the reader what has happened, and expects that it be accepted. Even the family does nothing to find the cause of Gregor’s change; they simply accept it, and attempt to deal with his paranormal transformation.
From the above examples, it is clear to see that there are many horrific themes in each story. Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” has themes and examples that overlap, such as the title itself which can be seen as being both gothic and surreal, and the scene of the dying natives, which can be read as both supernatural and grotesque. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” does not have so much of a gothic flavour as it does supernatural, grotesque and surreal. The whole concept of the tale has all three of those aspects included in it; a man transformed into a bug. What could be more grotesque, supernatural, or surreal than that? In closing, one can see how chainsaw buzzing madmen will never compare to the subtle horrors of these two great artists.
Works Cited
Anders, Gunther. Studies in Modern European Literature and Thought Franz Kafka. Bowes
and Bowes Ltd. London, 160. 1.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness.” Short Fiction An Introductory Anthology. Ed. Gerald
Lynch, David Rampton. Harcourt Canada Toronto, 1. 5-1.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness” An Authoritative Text, Background and Sources, Essays
in Criticism. Ed. Robert Kimbrough.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness.” Open Guide to Literature. Ed. Anthony Fothergil. Open
University Press Milton Keynes, 18.
Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis.” Short Fiction An Introductory Anthology. Ed. Gerald
Lynch, David Rampton. Harcourt Canada Toronto, 1. 44-5.
Pfeiffer, Johannes. “The Metamorphosis.” Kafka A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ronald
Gray. Prentice Hall Inc Engelwood Cliffs NJ, 16.
Mind that the sample papers like Gothic and Grotesque presented are to be used for review only. In order to warn you and eliminate any plagiarism writing intentions, it is highly recommended not to use the essays in class. In cases you experience difficulties with essay writing in class and for in class use, order original papers with our expert writers. Cheap custom papers can be written from scratch for each customer that entrusts his or her academic success to our writing team. Order your unique assignment from the best custom writing services cheap and fast!
Gothic and Grotesque
Nothing is creepier than a gripping horror story, however today’s horror genre is filled with axe-wielding maniacs wanting to literally paint the town red. Two stories that probably would not come to mind when thinking of good “wholesome” horror are Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” Although neither of these works is classified as being in the horror genre, upon deeper analysis one will see that both of these works include elements one might classify as gothic, surreal, supernatural or grotesque. These works are not equal, however, as they both have more of one aspect than the other. Conrad’s work has a little bit of all four aspects, with many examples focussing on the surreal and supernatural themes. In contrast, Kafka’s work is less gothic, focussing more on the grotesque, surreal, and supernatural.
Before delving too deep into the works, it should be explained what is meant by the terms gothic, grotesque, surreal and supernatural. Gothic is a style of story that was popular between the 1800’s and the 100’s, often involving dark, dreary settings and evil plots. Edgar Allen Poe was a great gothic writer, whose chilling thriller stories had much to do with death and dying. Grotesque is defined by the Oxford Dictionary of Current English as meaning, “repulsively distorted” which is definitely the case in both of these authors’ characters. Surreal is a term used to describe things that are not quite real, or that may be too real to some. Like trying to look at a dim star straight on in the night sky; if you stare straight at it, it seems as if it is not even there, but by looking just a little off to the side, it seems to appear just outside your point of focus. Finally, supernatural is defined by Oxford as meaning, “manifesting phenomena not explicable by natural or physical laws.” This certainly holds true; turning into a giant bug is definitely not a natural phenomenon, unless you are a smaller bug to begin with.
Now that the definitions of the criteria have been made, it is time to look at the stories, starting with Conrad’s work. One can definitely detect a gothic flavour in “Heart of Darkness.” Its dark, dreary setting sets the gothic mood right away, giving a depressing, mildly horrific atmosphere. An example of this is the narrator’s description of the sunset at the very beginning of the story
And at last, in its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from
glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat, as if
about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom
brooding over a crowd of men. (Short Fiction, 5)
Death and gloom unquestionably give the sunset a gothic spice. Even the title gives the feeling of a gothic tale. In Anthony Fothergil’s Open Guide to Literature Heart of Darkness he says “The title confronts us with a language which won’t, as it were, stand still” (). He goes on to ask the question Is it the centre of darkness, or the heart, which is dark that Conrad is referring to? (). Either way, the title gives one a premonition of gloom and evilness.
As well as being gothic, the title is also rather surreal. To leave the meaning open ended to the reader gives one the sense that the story reflects what they are thinking or feeling. This puts the story into the kind of un-reality that the surreal theme thrives in. Other surreal aspects of the story are many of the symbols regarding the underworld. Once again Fothergil voices his opinion on this subject, saying, “…it is a journey through the underworld for purposes of instruction as well as entertainment” (1). As well, Fothergil compares Kurtz to a “Shade” from classic mythology, which is an underworld inhabitant, unable to find peace, who feels the need to tell mortals their sad stories (4). This he definitely does, right up until the end with his last words “The horror! The horror!” (Short Fiction, 1). Surrealism is a big aspect in these examples; symbols of people and events with a deeper, darker meaning that touches the reader in profound ways. Perhaps everyone feels that they are making their own trek through the underworld, in their own little way.
Many of the symbols surrounding the character of Kurtz could also be seen as surreal. For example, there is the description that Marlow gives about attempted rescue of Kurtz “I had to beat this Shadow � this wandering and tormented thing…” (Authoritative Text, 67). Marlow is superimposing the image of an uneasy, miserable spirit over Kurtz, but perhaps that is who Kurtz really is, and his humanity is all superimposed. Which is the reality? As well, when Marlow speaks of the impact that Kurtz has had on him, he says, “Confound the man! He had kicked the very earth to pieces” (Authoritative Text, 67). A very surreal image is conjured out of that statement Kurtz had shattered Marlow’s beliefs, shattered his “earth.”
Another example of surrealism comes from the book entitled Heart of Darkness An Authoritative Text, Background and Sources, Essays in Criticism, edited by Robert Kimbrough. Marlow is speaking of the two women in black he sees, sitting in chairs knitting. Upon seeing one of them, and the look in her eyes he says, “Not many of those she looked at ever say her again � not half, by a long way” (11). This thought seems to say that the woman had some sort of power to curse those she looked at to death. Then again, it might just be that the people she looks at just never seem to come that way again. Two “realities” here, but which one is real and which is “surreal”?
Another theme represented by the old women is the theme of the supernatural. As stated above, one might take Marlow’s statement to mean the woman had some form of power to do harm. Also concerning the two women, he says to himself, “I thought of these two guarding the door of Darkness” (Authoritative Text, 11), which definitely brings one to think in terms of the supernatural; an image of two women, clad in black, guarding the entrance to all that is evil. As well, Marlow’s description of the dying natives definitely has a supernatural flavour, as he says, “I had stepped into the gloomy circle of some Inferno” (Authoritative Text, 17). This is a powerful image of the supernatural; the fires of Hell.
Although the scene with the dying natives can be called supernatural, one can also see how it could be classified as being grotesque. Marlow tells the reader how “Black shapes crouched, lay, sat between the trees, half coming out, half effaced within the dim light, in all the attitudes of pain, abandonment and despair…they were dying slowly…lying confusedly in the greenish gloom” (Authoritative Text, 17). What could be more grotesque than a painful, lonely, meaningless death? Death is the end of something beautiful; life. It is especially disgusting when there is no point to it, and it is done in pain.
Now that Conrad’s work has been analyzed, it is time to consider the work of Kurtz. First off, “The Metamorphosis” can definitely be classified as being grotesque. Even the concept of the story exemplifies this trait through the transformation of the main character into a gigantic bug, which is one of the most disgusting things that could happen to any human being. He is transformed into that which he would have stepped on without a second thought. His life has turned from something bearable into something abominable. What becomes of him at the end of the story is perhaps the most grotesque of it all; he becomes nothing more than an unloved dead bug. “[The charwoman pushed] Gregor’s corpse a long way to one side with her broomstick. Mrs. Samsa made a movement as if to stop her, but checked herself. ‘Well,’ said Mr. Samsa, ‘now thanks be to God’” (51). It is obvious that the family was relieved at the death of their horrifically metamorphosized son.
There are other critics who share the idea of “The Metamorphosis” being grotesque. Gunther Anders gives a great critique of the horror of many of Kafka’s stories when he says, “What makes the reading of [Kafka’s] stories such a gruesome experience is his manner of treating the grotesque as everyday normality” (1). This is evident in the first paragraphs of the story, as Gregor wakes up. He realizes he has turned into a very large insect, however he is more concerned with trivial, everyday happenings such as being late for work that with what has happened to him. The same attitude is shared by his family, but to a lesser degree. Instead of trying to find out the cause of the change, they merely keep Gregor locked in his room; out of sight, out of mind it seems.
Surrealism in “The Metamorphosis” is a very important aspect of the story. Perhaps Johannes Pfieffer best says it in his essay entitled “The Metamorphosis.” Pfieffer says that
“This balanced composition has a certain correspondence in the exactness
with which the room is imagined and in an kind of ‘magic realism,’
whereby objects are presented with such a compact wealth of detail that
they are constantly turned into something unreal or more than real” (5).
This statement virtually includes the meaning of the word surreal. The story is too fantastic to be taken literally; all Kafka’s symbols and descriptions are hints of something deeper, something more profound.
For example, look at the moving of furniture from Gregor’s room. At first Gregor is happy to have more room to walk about the walls and ceiling, until he realizes what is really happening on a deeper level. By taking out his furniture, they are denying him his humanity. In their eyes, he is an insect and nothing more now, and Gregor cannot bear that. “Did he really want his warm room…to be turned into a naked den in which he would certainly be able to crawl unhampered in all directions but at the price of …his human background?” (515).
Finally, what is Kafka’s story if it is not supernatural? The metamorphosizing of a man into an insect is definitely not any natural act. What makes Gregor’s metamorphosis all the more strange is that the author does not go into any detail as to how the change took place. Kafka simply tells the reader what has happened, and expects that it be accepted. Even the family does nothing to find the cause of Gregor’s change; they simply accept it, and attempt to deal with his paranormal transformation.
From the above examples, it is clear to see that there are many horrific themes in each story. Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” has themes and examples that overlap, such as the title itself which can be seen as being both gothic and surreal, and the scene of the dying natives, which can be read as both supernatural and grotesque. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” does not have so much of a gothic flavour as it does supernatural, grotesque and surreal. The whole concept of the tale has all three of those aspects included in it; a man transformed into a bug. What could be more grotesque, supernatural, or surreal than that? In closing, one can see how chainsaw buzzing madmen will never compare to the subtle horrors of these two great artists.
Works Cited
Anders, Gunther. Studies in Modern European Literature and Thought Franz Kafka. Bowes
and Bowes Ltd. London, 160. 1.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness.” Short Fiction An Introductory Anthology. Ed. Gerald
Lynch, David Rampton. Harcourt Canada Toronto, 1. 5-1.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness” An Authoritative Text, Background and Sources, Essays
in Criticism. Ed. Robert Kimbrough.
Conrad, Joseph. “Heart of Darkness.” Open Guide to Literature. Ed. Anthony Fothergil. Open
University Press Milton Keynes, 18.
Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis.” Short Fiction An Introductory Anthology. Ed. Gerald
Lynch, David Rampton. Harcourt Canada Toronto, 1. 44-5.
Pfeiffer, Johannes. “The Metamorphosis.” Kafka A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ronald
Gray. Prentice Hall Inc Engelwood Cliffs NJ, 16.
Mind that the sample papers like Gothic and Grotesque presented are to be used for review only. In order to warn you and eliminate any plagiarism writing intentions, it is highly recommended not to use the essays in class. In cases you experience difficulties with essay writing in class and for in class use, order original papers with our expert writers. Cheap custom papers can be written from scratch for each customer that entrusts his or her academic success to our writing team. Order your unique assignment from the best custom writing services cheap and fast!
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