Different, Yet Similar

     While reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad I realized that there were some things within this novel that I felt I'd seen before, it struck me then that my current novel is similar to a previous one Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Although the books are polar opposites when it comes to content and literary devices they contain similar elements, which help us as readers to further understand the text. Both of these authors use fog to symbolize uncertainty and to create a powerful main character with the power to influence the stories narrators.

     Fog is and important symbol in both novels, within One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest its use is as an insinuation as to the combines actions concerning the patients blindness towards them (combine) and its intentions. There it connotes to feelings of self-doubt, uncertainty and confinement. On the other hand with Heart of Darkness the fog appears as something that symbolizes what is unknown.

     Yet the most remarkable similarity is the narrators idolization of a certain character, Marlow idolizes Kurtz while McMurphy was idolized by the patients whom made him their symbol of hope. Only within Conrads novel the idolized character is not so obvious until the end of the second part of the book. Which is when as readers, we realize that Mr.Kurtz became of importance to Marlow. DEspite his actions Kurtz is without a doubt a major character in the Congo, to a point in which the natives rebelled due to his leaving the area. Relating to this is the "celebration" the patients of the ward had, which may help portray this point.

   Despite the differences aspects of Heart of Darkness remind me of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest.
These two novels are indeed quite different, yet similar.