As I read “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, I kept feeling the illusion of déjà vu. It was as though I had been here before. I wasn’t sure how since I have not read 98% percent of the assignments for this class before. As the story progressed, the name of Kurtz kept signaling me. Click. Brando. Apocalypse Now. Francis Ford Coppela’s masterpiece about killing the evil that can reside in a human form. (Probably the best work that Martin Sheen has ever done in his career.)
The main character of the story is a man named Marlow. Marlow is relating an experience he had while he was a steamboat captain, hired to bring back Ivory from Africa. “’ I don’t want to bother you much with what happened to me personally,’ he began, showing in his remark the weakness of many tellers of tales who seem so often unaware of what their audience would best like to hear…” He starts by explaining his childhood desire to go to Africa and, when he accepts a job with a trading company, is given his opportunity. The start of his journey finds him in an unorganized mess of a group. He is shown that his fellow employees have little concern for the lives of the natives employed to assist them in their search for ivory. “A nigger was being beaten near by. They said he had caused the fire in some way; be that as it may, he was screeching most horribly. I saw him later, for several days, sitting in a bit of shade looking very sick and trying to recover himself: afterwards he arose and went out – and the wilderness without a sound took him into its bosom again.” This lack of concern for human life is a theme throughout the rest of the story.
During the first part of the story, Marlow is given insight to the inner station manager known as Kurtz. Kurtz appears to be everything to everyone. He is respected, feared, loved and hated. Marlow becomes intrigued by his perception of the man and begins to imagine what he is like. After Marlow hears of what occurred the last time anyone from the company had seen Kurtz, his vision of the man becomes pristine. “As for me, I seemed to see Kurtz for the first time. It was a distinct glimpse: the dugout, the four paddling savages, and the lone white man turning his back suddenly on the headquarters, on relief, on thoughts of home – perhaps; setting his face toward the depths of the wilderness, towards his empty and desolate station.
While there are differences between Francis Ford Coppola’s film, Apocalypse Now!, and Joseph Conrad novel, The Heart of Darkness, Kurtz and his influence on the main character remain very similar. Both the movie and novel depict a protagonist’s struggle to travel upstream in a ship in search of a man named Kurtz. While doing so, Marlow (The Heart of Darkness)/Willard (Apocalypse Now!) become progressively fascinated with Kurtz. Kurtz is claimed to have a profound influence on his followers and is becoming a huge influence on Marlow/Willard as well.
Examining the conceptualizations and theories of Neustadt and Skowronek’s in comparative perspective, this essay makes the principal argument that both of these theories only represent partial explanations of how success and efficiency is achieved in the context of the Presidency. With Neustadt focusing saliently on the President’s micro-level elite interactions and with Skowronek adopting a far more populist and public opinion-based framework, both only serve to explain some atomistic facets of the Presidency. As such, neither is truly collectively exhaustive, or mutually exclusive of the other, in accounting for the facets of the Presidency in either a modern day or historical analytical framework. Rather, they can best be viewed as complementary theories germane to explaining different facets of the Presidency, and the different strengths and weaknesses of specific Administrations throughout history.
Richard Neustadt stated in his book Presidential Power that “Presidential power is the power to persuade.”(Neustadt, pg.11) Persuasion and bargaining are techniques that presidents can use to influence policy. Neustadt explains how persuasion can help a president get laws passed and to get favorable public opinion.Neustadt explains that bargaining is important in order to influence other politicians in Congress and inside of the executive branch. He stated that "The essence of a President's persuasive task is to convince such men that what the White House wants of them is what they ought to do for their sake and on their authority" (Neustadt, pg.30). Neustadt believes that a president should use persuasion than commanding because it is more effective.Commanding shows that a president is weak. Commanding is only effective in certain situations.
Three Works Cited The story is about a man named Marlow, who is hired by The Company, which is a shipping company located in England. Although Marlow had sailed before, he had never sailed to Africa. The people who operated The Company (those located in England) are so far removed from reality, that they have no concept of the devastation caused in order to ship vast loads of ivory. The Company is a perfect example of how these profit driven industries obtain their wealth – through the blatant disregard of the environment and their fellow man.
Based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness written in the late- Victorian era, Apocalypse Now! gives a modern interpretation of the novella. Francis Ford Coppola’s film takes place in Vietnam War where he examines America’s foreign policies in the 1960’s. Conrad, on the other hand, recreates the effects of British colonialism in Africa. Both protagonists, Willard from Apocalypse Now! and Marlow from Heart of Darkness, travel upstream along the massive trees that hug the banks on a mission to find Kurtz. As they travel further into the heart of darkness, they forget about the rules and regulations of society, and experience the absurdities of evil and savage nature of the jungle and war. The similarities and contrasts between Willard and Marlow are worth further examination to see their transitions as characters, responses to foreign land, and causes and effects of meeting Kurtz.
Neustagt begins with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whom he believes is the one president that knew how best to yield his power. He uses other examples throughout the book of Presidents from FDR to Reagan and endeavors to show the reader the ways in which power and persuasion was used in order for the presidents too perform at the best of their ability and still retain the power to persuade in order to govern the country and appease the public. Neustadt points out to the reader his opinion of the ways the president power is seen by others and how affective it is when certain strategies are applied correctly.
To Neustadt, “presidential power is the power to persuade” (Nuestadt, 11). Persuasion and bargaining are the means that presidents use to influence policy. Presidents need to “bargain” to influence both Congress and the executive branch. Neustadt argues that presidents cannot lead directly. In other words, just because a president says he wants something done does not mean it will be so. Instead, presidential power is function of his or her ability to persuade relevant Washington actors (staff, congressmen, bureaucrats) that it is in their interest to cooperate. In short, powerful, or successful, presidents are those that can bargain effectively with relevant actors. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) being the best example of a successful
Political scientists have continually searched for methods that explain presidential power and success derived from using that power effectively. Five different approaches have been argued including the legal approach, presidential roles approach, Neustadtian approach, institutional approach, and presidential decision-making approach. The legal approach says that all power is derived from a legal authority (U.S. Constitution). The presidential roles approach contends that a president’s success is derived from balancing their role as head of state and head of government. The Neustadtian approach contends that “presidential power is the power to persuade“ (Neustadt, p. 11). The institutional approach contends that political climate and institutional relations are what determines presidential power. The last approach, decision-making, provides a more psychological outlook that delves into background, management styles, and psychological dispositions to determine where a president’s idea of power comes from. From all of these, it is essential to study one at a time in order to analyze the major components of each approach for major strengths and weaknesses.
For as long as I can remember, my childhood dream has always been wanting to become a veterinarian. While other kids were outside having fun at the playground, I was at the library reading books and learning about the different animals. However, as I matured, I realized that being a veterinarian isn’t just about caring for and assisting injured animals. Being a veterinarian means having the ability to make quick decisions in stressful situations, showing complete dedication and passion to this profession, and being able to effectively communicate to pet owners.
Kurtz. Marlow retrieves an ailing Mr. Kurtz, who is holding onto life by a thread. In his last words, Mr. Kurtz screams, “The horror! The horror!” When reflecting upon this outcry Marlow states, “I affirm that Kurtz was a remarkable man. He had something to say. He said it. Since I had peeped over the edge myself, I understand better the meaning of his stare, that could not see the flame of the candle, but was wide enough to embrace the whole universe, piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness.” Marlow admires Kurtz because Kurtz was able to break free from racism and wholeheartedly assimilate with all stretches of humanity. Perhaps Kurtz knowledge of the world comes at the cost of sanity. Marlow observes Kurtz’s universal perspective, but he himself does not quite attain it. Although he has taken steps in the direction of understanding for the natives, Marlow’s innate prejudices restrain him from crossing the bridge into the land of
“He was commonplace in complexion, in features, in manners, and in voice,” the manager is seen as a common man since he lives and works a normal life; however through Marlow’s description of him we see that the manager is “uneasy” about something. (Conrad 32-33) We later learn that his uneasiness comes from his inability to pursue anything in life and that he is jealous of Kurtz because of his success. The manager has no redeemable qualities to look up to; Marlow says that he has no “genius for organization, or for order even.” (32) This makes us wonder how he even obtained the job as a manager, but we soon learn that he has always been present at his job for the past three years, and from this Marlow remarks by saying “perhaps there was nothing within in,” meaning there was no way of him ever becoming sick since he lacks the aspirations to that as well.
The most significant component of Wal-Mart’s success was the way it treated its employees or as they are known as in Wal-Mart “associates”, the beliefs or rules of the Wal-Mart culture makes associates want to provide excellent service to its customers. During visits Walton encouraged associates to pledge to greet customers and ask if they assist them or walking into a Wal-Mart store customers are met by a greeter, an associate who welcomed them and handed out shopping carts (Farhoomand, 2006).
Wal-mart has a reputation for caring for its customers, of course their employees, and for the prospective public. So Wal-Mart can be an industrial leader for the world of shoppers with an eye for lower affordable prices, company decision makers would continue it's systematic strategies that it's founder and president established years ago. Sam Walton believed in three guiding principles in his strategy planning they were to provide the customer with good value and service, to have a good relationship with its associates, and to be involved with the community.
Every human being is born into a race and a culture. These are what separate one person from another. Is it possible to fit into a place where you don't belong? Your culture and race does not make you who you are, but they do play an important role in molding you. They can limit our beliefs in ourselves and which tasks we find important to learn how to do. With all of these afflictions, we do seam to be on a train with a one way track. Our lives appear as if they are set before us, just waiting for our shoes to fit the roles described therein. Natives have there roles which are separate and different from the foreigners, but how far do they differ?
In the heart of Africa lies darkness beyond that of night. Africa, still mostly undeveloped and covered in wilderness has a beast hidden within waiting to be let out. It is widely known that the primal instincts of a human are savage. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, darkness is not just found in the pigment of one’s skin; it is found in the primal instinct of all human beings, and every human starts with a heart of darkness.