Journals are a record of day-to-day events or a record of ideas and reflections (“Journal”). This style of writing dates back to the fifteenth century in Europe, journals served as a spiritual reflection for individuals (" American History through Literature 1820-1870”). Not only does this type of literature allow readers to understand the author on a deeper level, but also, has allowed this style of writing to evolve over the years. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad discusses personal accounts of the main character, Marlowe, exploring the Belgian Congo. Marlowe dreamt of exploring the wilderness of the Congo, but soon realized the brutality of this environment. There is a dark and gloomy undertone to the novel that unveils the loss of civilization once one enters the depths of the Congo. Conrad says, “What greatness had not floated on the ebb of that river into the mystery of an unknown earth! ... The dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empires,” which shows the excitement of Marlowe; the reader can tell through the punctuation used that this is not a formal type of writing (Conrad). The punctuation and writing style seems more personal than a standard prose or poetry piece.

Works Cited

“" American History through Literature 1820-1870”. Encyclopedia.com. 27 Apr. 2023 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 1 May 2023, https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/journals-and-diaries.

Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness, 1902.

“Journal.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/journal-literature.