Semester 2
Unit 3: The Irony of Heroism
Text and Resources:
Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa." The Massachusetts Review 28 (Fall 1977): 782-794. Student Resource Center. Gale Group Databases. Bryan
Applied Practice in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Austin, TX: Applied Practice, 1998.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989.
Humble, Sally, and Thomas Humble. Teacher’s Manual for an Advanced Placement Course in English Literature and Composition. 3rd Ed. NC: Duke
University Talent Identification Program, 1999.
Rationale:
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness requires that students examine the values of the Anglo-Saxon warrior ideal from the perspective of a modern writer whose focus is the irony of heroic idealism. The novel’s opening compares the experiences of the European explorers of Africa to the Roman explorers of England who, Conrad suggests, must have found ancient England a dark wilderness far removed from the comforts of civilized Rome. Thus, Conrad introduces the ambiguity of that state we call civilization, the tentativeness of the separation of past and present, and the permanence of the human desire for exploration, exploitation and control of the natural environment. The assignments in this unit are completed during a six week period over approximately ten days.
Writing:
Literature Circles
Socratic Seminar
Literary Analysis
Book Card
Timed Writing (Unit Exam)
Instructions:
Critical Articles:
Helpful Websites: