Apocalypse Now Analysis

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Woodard 1
Addi Woodard
Period 1
Mr. Hollweg
HOD/AN Essay
HOD/AN Essay
TITLE
Conrad and Coppola. Both highly revered in their respected mediums for effortlessly coining characters and composing weighty statements. The World War II film, Apocalypse Now, is analogous to the imperialist novel, Heart of Darkness, not only in subject, but modus operandi as well. Upon meeting The Company’s Chief Accountant, Conrad’s protagonist, Marlow, is enamored with the man’s grandeur. The Accountant steps out of his office within the Inner Station for “… a breath of fresh air…” and greets Marlow (Conrad, 15). Being that the Inner Station is a brash environment, The Accountant’s desire to get fresh air outside is rather uncouth. Despite boasting a comfortable
With Conrad exercising his expertise in imagery, diction and repetition, The Company’s Chief Accountant serves as a symbol for all. Just as he gives the impression that he has sound morals in stepping outside or housing the ill native, his submersion in his job has eroded away at seemingly standard morals. Coppola’s regular use of zoom, ambient noise and close-up shots add to Lieutenant Kilgore’s individuality as well. Kilgore’s comment concerning “…napalm in the morning…” in addition to his easy distraction when tending to a dying Vietcong native, serve as proof that his moral compass is more than a touch battered (Apocalypse Now). Each of these two artists, Conrad and Coppola, efficaciously cultivate a reality often avoided in the workplace. Becoming too involved in one explicit aspect of life can cause a loss in touch with humanity and virtuous morals.

Woodard 5
Works Cited
Apocalypse Now. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Prod. Francis Ford Coppola, Dean Tavoularis, Angelo Graham, George R. Nelson, and Charles E. James. By Francis Ford Coppola, John Milius, Michael Herr, Vittorio Storaro, Richard Marks, Walter Murch, Walter Murch, Carmine Coppola, Richard P. Cirincione, Joseph Lombardi, and A. D. Flowers. Perf. Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, G. D. Spradlin, Harrison Ford, Scott Glenn, and Glenn Walken. N.p., n.d. Web.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of darkness. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2009.

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