Best of the Week: Frame Narrator

I think that one of the best discussions we had this week was about the frame narrator in Heart of Darkness. I found it to be really interesting how we talked about what the implications of a white, European frame narrator, and how that impacted the way the novel was written. I think that the fact that Marlow and Conrad were both white and previously exposed to European prejudices is extremely influential in the opinions presented in the book.

Thinking about Marlow as a free black European was extremely difficult, because (based on the book) we don't know much about how blacks viewed their African counterparts, but I think that this idea was very important. It made me think about the implications of this novel and the effects they can have on students across the world, and throughout time.

For example, how could the travels of a prejudiced man who penned a novel have affected the people in Little Rock several decades ago have viewed the colored students that came to their school? I also thought that the point Sam made during our discussion was very valid: would anyone have payed attention to Marlow (as a part of Conrad) had he not been a white European?

Overall, I think that Marlow is really an extension of Conrad, and therefore Conrad forced what he knew onto Marlow; for all we know Marlow should have been a black European, or a white who wanted to understand the Africans. Conrad's opinions and ideas are clearly shown through Marlow, and had Conrad been anyone else, Marlow would not have existed.

iMedia: Tik Tok

Ke$ha's Tik Tok has been heard by almost every teenager. It has remained in the iTunes top ten for over twelve weeks. And ironically (as you can most likely see from the video) this 22-year old is what many would call white trash. In all of her most popular songs Ke$ha has alluded to drinking, drugs and sex. I was very surprised to find that she apparently had amazing SAT scores and was a very studious teenager: the image she tries to give off is one of young, pretty and wild.

I think that the ideas behind this song indicate how far popular American music has fallen. Years ago the teenagers were listening to rock and roll tunes. Today we listen to Auto-Tuned, barely sung songs with the same beat. The people who voice these songs are stereotypically young and crazy one hit wonders. They go out and party and get drunk, and no one cares-- the bigger the scandal the better.

Personally I like this song. I think that its fun and upbeat, and when she sings and gives interviews she does it herself: Ke$ha knows what she wants and knows how to attain what she wants. I think that the fact that she has a "different" personality than what people are used to that opens us youngsters to a different lifestyle. But her story is also typical: was dirt poor when she caught a break and now has money and is famous.

Overall, I think that Tik Tok as a song is a perfect one for a slumber or dance party. But while the message behind it may not be so perfect, the fact that Ke$ha can talk about going out and partying every night shows how much music has changed. The party don't stop.

Connection: Marlow and Andrew

As we've been reading Heart of Darkness, we've frequently discussed Marlow's place as the story-teller, thus providing us a need for a frame narrator. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer season seven, Andrew becomes an extremely important point of view for one episode (Storyteller). In this episode, we see Andrew documenting Buffy and her trainee's as they prepare to fight against the ultimate evil. I think that Andrew's role (in this episode particularly) is extremely important.

In parts this episode, we see Andrew embrace the frame narrator. As he gives background information and sets the scene for us, he draws us in with the daily life at the Summers household. As he does this, we see the film through his videocamera, only to have it shut off minutes later and see Andrew in a Marlow-like position; he is in the story while telling the story.

I think that Andrew's role for this episode is very important to helping us understand the need for the frame narrator in Heart of Darkness. In the 42-minute Storyteller, we see how Conrad's idea of a frame narrator has translated to television over 100 years later. The characters are very informative of each other, since they play similar roles in entirely different situations. Andrew is presenting the story to us in order to capture the feelings in the air as a small army prepares for battle, whereas Marlow presents the story to several men on board a ship with him in order to capture the essence of Mr. Kurtz.

Overall, I think that Joss Whedon captured the idea of one character playing as the frame narrator and the character in the story at the same time quite well. It is obvious that Andrew has a place as both a frame narrator and as a main character in the course of the episode, and I think that the way the writers allowed Andrew to play both out is extremely similar to Conrad's intents with Marlow.

(Video watch through 1:15)