In literature and cinema, narrative positioning shapes the audience’s plot comprehension. Authors and filmmakers can emphasize social, ideological, and philosophical issues by intentionally situating the reader/viewer. Developing concepts and examining the human condition in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 depends on narrative positioning. Through viewpoint manipulation, the writers question the reader/viewer’s concept of truth and morality, while the novella and film further these discoveries.
Narrative positioning in Heart of Darkness and Blade Runner 2049 is essential to communicating its thoughts and ideas (Conrad, 2023). The structure of these writings greatly determines the purpose and how the stories are delivered, exposing the complexity of their worlds and immersing the reader in a profound investigation of humanity, power relations, and morality. Heart of Darkness, an 1899 novella, features a frame narrative. The nameless narrator listens to Marlow, the primary character, tell stories. Marlow’s journey into Africa is told as a story inside a story. This method distances and confuses the reader, making them listeners rather than participants. This distance lets you explore the human soul’s depths and the hazy boundary between civilization and barbarism. Conrad illustrates the dangers of unbridled power and empire with this story. Multiple perspectives emphasize the issues’ ambiguity and complexity in this layered narrative framework. Marlow’s search for Kurtz along the Congo River shows human Darkness and colonization’s catastrophic effects. Form strongly influences Heart of Darkness’ narrative placement. The reader feels far from the tale since Marlow is the medium. As Marlow, Conrad shows how human comprehension is limited in difficult and ethically challenging situations. Marlow’s struggles with prejudices and perceptions of events turn the story into a philosophical investigation of reality and perception (Watts, 2008). The unreliable narrator is crucial to Heart of Darkness’ narrative orientation. While presenting himself as a dependable narrator, Marlow concedes to his subjectivity and the challenge of precisely describing his experiences. This narrative posture makes the reader doubt the events and explore the enormous implications of storytelling and interpretation.
Furthermore, the framing narrative, in which Marlow recounts his experiences with Nellie, distances the reader from the immediate events, creating a sense of uncertainty and ambiguity. This narrative technique enables Conrad to explore themes such as the Darkness of the human psyche and the blurred line between civilization and savagery (Said, 2008). By positioning the reader as a listener to Marlow’s tale, Conrad invites them to dialogue about the nature of humanity and the consequences of unchecked power. The form of Heart of Darkness, being a novella, allows for a concise yet impactful exploration of these themes. Conrad’s dense and rich prose evokes a sense of foreboding and unease, mirroring the journey into the heart of Darkness itself. Conrad sympathizes with Africans and their predicament terribly and cynically and explicitly rejects European colonists’ noble goals, expressing his mistrust of European morality. Chained, malnourished enslaved people are described towards the conclusion. The fragmented and non-linear nature of the narrative amplifies the disorienting effect, reflecting the disintegration of moral values and the exploration of the unknown. The form thus enhances the point, drawing attention to the destructive consequences of imperialism and the exploration of the human condition.
Heart of Darkness explores power relations and colonialism’s dehumanizing impacts (Conrad, 2023). The frame story criticizes imperialism via Marlow’s experiences with European invaders’ brutality and exploitation. The tale emphasizes power inequalities, corruption, and moral deterioration. Marlow’s perspective shows colonization’s brutal and dehumanizing effects, emphasizing the power dynamics at play, with Europeans controlling and exploiting indigenous populations. Conrad invites critical reflection on colonialism’s moral implications and the potential for corruption and moral decay by setting the reader as an outsider.
However, Blade Runner 2049 positions its narrative differently. The film uses visual and audio components to immerse viewers in its apocalyptic universe. K is a Blade Runner replicant in the future when humans discriminate against replicants and employ them as laborers (Villeneuve & Ford, 2017). K’s quest to discover his identity and a replicant child drives the story. Blade Runner 2049’s form shapes its story. Its gloomy atmosphere is created by magnificent imagery, ambient music, and evocative cinematography. The video explores philosophical themes about humanity and the blurring of human-machine boundaries. Blade Runner 2049’s immersive form prompts philosophical issues about humanity and the blurring barriers between humans and robots. The film’s narrative approach immerses viewers in the protagonists’ emotions, making them question the ethics of creating sentient creatures and the effects of an AI-driven society. Blade Runner 2049 also uses different perspectives to strengthen its story. Through numerous personalities and their histories, the film explores its issues in depth. Each character’s perspective gives depth to the story, helping viewers comprehend the world’s ramifications. This diversity of ideas forces viewers to evaluate their beliefs and explore many perspectives to understand the issues at hand properly. Blade Runner 2049’s visual effects and future locations also shape its storyline (Flisfeder, 2020). Tech advances in the film show how technology shapes characters and their surroundings. Technology-induced fears and moral issues raise questions about the ethics of creating sentient creatures and the effects of an AI-driven society.
The fragmented narrative structure of Blade Runner 2049 is significant. Fragmented and intertwined tales progressively merge in the film, pushing the audience to assemble the jigsaw and establish their interpretation (Zisek, 2021). This fractured narrative reflects the dystopian world’s divided identity, memory, and reality, probing philosophical themes about human nature. Villeneuve challenges morality, empathy, and identity via numerous views and unclear character motivations. Blade Runner 2049’s spectacular sci-fi visuals enhance its themes. The stunning cinematography, sophisticated production design, and evocative music inspire awe and reflection. The film’s methodical tempo and extended takes invite viewers to consider existential themes like artificial intelligence’s ethics and human arrogance. The film’s visuals emphasize the risks of technology growth and the nature of humanity in an increasingly artificial world.
Blade Runner 2049 immerses viewers in the characters’ emotions and experiences, resembling Heart of Darkness. The film’s immersion enhances knowledge of its concepts and ideas. The audience considers identity, free choice, and AI ethics through the characters’ views. Multiple views are crucial to Blade Runner 2049’s narrative orientation (Flisfeder, 2020). The film explores ideas in depth through numerous individuals and their experiences. Each character’s perspective gives depth to the story, helping viewers comprehend the world’s ramifications. Blade Runner 2049 also shows how technology shapes narrative positioning. Advanced visual effects and futuristic surroundings illustrate how technology affects characters and their environment.
In various forms of literature and film, Heart of Darkness and Blade Runner 2049 use narrative placement to make their ideas. Heart of Darkness’s engrossing and fractured tale challenges readers to consider imperialism’s morality and the human psyche. Blade Runner 2049’s aesthetically spectacular and fractured story examines identity, empathy, and morality in a bleak future. Whether through Conrad’s dense text or Villeneuve’s stunning images, each effort emphasizes the argument and makes the viewer think. Heart of Darkness and Blade Runner 2049 amuse and promote contemplation and critical engagement with social and existential issues through narrative modes. They demonstrate how narrative placement and structure may impact the stated message, allowing authors and filmmakers to explore the ideas and engage audiences in critical conversation.
References
Conrad, J. (2023). Heart of Darkness. BoD–Books on Demand. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BAGoEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=Heart+of+Darkness+&ots=Gc8avGx9DA&sig=UthOwI2mdYaB052gJnz2PNDajNQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Heart%20of%20Darkness&f=false
Flisfeder, M. (2020). Blade Runner 2049 (case study). The Routledge Companion to Cyberpunk Culture. New York: Routledge. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/61434544/Flisfeder_Cyberpunk_BR204920191205-22579-rwk3jf-libre.pdf?1575581915=&response-content- =APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
Said, E. W. (2008). Two Visions in Heart of Darkness. Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: Joseph Conrad’s, 5-18. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=q1Ua05fPsSAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&dq=Heart+of+Darkness+&ots=e7OpoGPPJy&sig=cTOJoHa9OTmqjkDi9U2UCFK7x8I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Heart%20of%20Darkness&f=false
Villeneuve, D., Gosling, R., & Ford, H. (2017). Blade Runner 2049. Alcon Entertainment. https://2017.nouveaucinema.ca/uploads/document/170921_pr_veng_opening_final.pdf
Watts, C. (2008). Heart of Darkness (pp. 19-36). New York: Infobase Publishing. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=q1Ua05fPsSAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA19&dq=Heart+of+Darkness+&ots=e7OpoGPPJy&sig=wA2pcSRjUD_5_pm6UhK6o0WiQv8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Heart%20of%20Darkness&f=false
Žižek, S. (2021). Blade Runner 2049: A View of Post-Human Capitalism. Lacanian Perspectives on Blade Runner 2049, 41-51. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-56754-5_3
write