Fly Away Peter And Heart Of Da Essay, Research Paper
ESSAY ON THE PAIRING: Fly Away Peter and Heart of Darkness
To what extent do these two texts use the similar motif of the journey to present different ideas?
Fly Away Peter, written by David Malouf, is set in 1914-1915 during the period of World War
One. The story of the main character, Jim, begins in his home in rural Queensland before
embarking on a journey in France to fight in the war. Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph
Conrad, is set in a similar period of time. The main character Marlow s journey is to the Congo,
which had recently become a part of the Belgium Empire. Both characters undertake a physical,
intellectual and spiritual journey. They also learn about themselves individually as well as about
humanity which brings them to question the meaning of life.
At the beginning of the two novels, both Jim and Marlow are somewhat innocent to what lay
ahead of them. Malouf describes Jim as being in a state of dangerous innocence in the early
chapters of Fly Away Peter. He is portrayed as being a person who is not well educated, has
limited experience of the world and doesn t like change. New views of the things didn t interest
him pg. 50. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad portrays Marlow as a man who loves adventure, which
is quite unlike the character of Jim. He has seen and experienced much of the world. However,
he is innocent because he has never been to a place like Africa where colonialism exists. He has
always lived in a civilized world controlled by rules and regulations and so has never witnessed
the effect lack of restraint can have on people.
As Jim and Marlow undertake their physical journeys, both begin to lose their innocence and
gain knowledge of the world. Jim begins to lose his innocence when he goes to Brisbane and
sees how the news of war affects people. The change makes him realize he wants to experience
more in his life and so enlists to fight in the war. On arrival in France Jim finds himself in a
world unlike anything he had ever known or imagined. p58 He experienced the horrors and
living and fighting in the trenches and the way war transformed soldiers into different people that
became unrecognizable. As he sees the people killed and replaced and killed again he becomes a
veteran of war and feels himself growing older. Marlow begins to lose his innocence when he
arrives in Africa and witnesses the effects of colonialism. He had previously believed that
colonialism would bring prosperity to the colonizing country as well as enlightenment,
civilization and religion to the country being colonized. He begins to question the motives of the
Europeans in Africa when he sees the disorganization and lack of purpose at the Outer Station.
These doubts are reinforced as he travels up the river. He learns that individuals are only
interested in personal gain. The managers and company agents were so obsessed with obtaining
ivory that they forgot their morals and civilized ways. The only real feeling was a desire to get
appointed to a trading-post where ivory was to be had, so that they could earn percentages. p46
Being in Africa gave the Europeans a sense of power, which enabled them to treat the black
natives like animals. Brought from all the recesses of the coast in all the legality of time
contracts, lost in uncongenial surroundings, fed on unfamiliar food, they sickened, became
inefficient, and were then allowed to crawl away and rest. p 35 When meeting Kurtz, Marlow
learns that civilization tends to restrain man s savage tendencies. When man is left to his own
desires without a protective, civilized environment, he becomes drawn back into savagery.
Both characters embark on a journey of self discovery where they learn more about themselves
and man. On Marlows journey into the heart of the Congo, he realizes that there is darkness in all
men s hearts, which is controlled by civilization and education. Without the rules and regulations
set by society, man can allow the darkness to control his life. This is what happened to Kurtz
when he was left alone with his own desires in the jungle. Kurtz came to the realization that there
was nothing or no one to control his actions. The Russian living at the inner station told Marlow
how Kurtz had been willing to kill him for a little ivory, because he could do so, and had a fancy
for it, and there was nothing on earth to prevent him killing whom he jolly well pleased. p92
Marlow was also drawn to the wilderness of the jungle, but protected himself from this darkness
by immersing himself in work. You wonder I didn t go ashore for a howl and a dance? I had no
time p63 Kurtz had been overcome with temptation where as Marlow was drawn to the edge and
was able to withdraw. Jim also realized there was darkness in his heart when Wizzer picked him
on. They faced one another with murder in their eyes and Jim was surprised by the black anger
he was possessed by and the dull savagery he sensed in the other man. p63 Jim realizes that
tragic circumstances bring out different aspects of a person s character which would normally be
suppressed.
Both authors use the journeys their characters undertake to raise questions about the meaning of
life though their approach to the topic is very different. Heart of Darkness begins its story in the
light of the Thames River and ends the book in darkness. Conrad uses this contrast of light and
darkness throughout the book to give us his pessimistic views on life and humanity. Droll thing
life is that mysterious arrangement of merciless logic for a futile purpose. The most you can hope
from it some knowledge of yourself. p113 He comes to the conclusion that there is a dark side in
every person that can never be changed. He gives the reader the idea that there is no hope for the
future as this darkness is only being hidden through civilized ways. He gives the reader the idea
that there is no hope for the future as this darkness is only being hidden through the light of
civilized ways. We live in the flicker may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But
darkness was here yesterday. p19 Malouf s approach in Fly Way Peter is much more optimistic.
It begins in the beauty of nature and ends with the serenity of the beach. Although the book is set
in depressing and bleak circumstances, he gives an optimistic view by giving the impression that
there is always hope for the future and that life will go on. In the last chapter, Imogen is
comforted by this realization. A life wasn t for anything. It simply was. p132
Both Conrad and Malouf use the spiritual and physical journeys of Marlow and Jim to develop
their ideas and raise questions about the meaning of life. Conrad s pessimistic view discusses the
impact of colonialism and the need for rules and regulations set by society. Malouf discuses the
impact war has on people s lives but gives hope for humanity by giving the optimistic impression
that life is a continuos cycle.
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