This is the trailer for the movie, The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland and directed by Victor Fleming. This movie is so relevant to Heart of Darkness because the protagonist, Dorothy, travels further and further into a new world in order to find the Wizard of Oz. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow travels deeper and deeper on the Congo river in order to find Kurtz. Kurtz promises endless ivory because of his sucess with the natives and the Wizard promises something for each of Dorothy’s companions. The Wizard is supposed to be an all-powerful being who can control their fates just as Kurtz is able to bring prosperity to his buisness. It turns out that the Wizard is actually an old man hiding behind a curtain who uses his voice and an illusion to control those around him. Marlow also says that Kurtz “…was little more than a voice” (48). The praises surrounding Kurtz seemed to outweigh the actual Kurtz because when Marlow finally meets Kurtz, he is a sickly invalid. We came up with the theme of illusions, or having not everything as it seems, and both Kurtz and the Wizard are perfect examples of this idea.
-Amanda
