The Characters, Setting, And Symbols Of Heart Of...

The Characters, Setting, and Symbols of Heart of...
Beyond the shield of civilization and into the depths of a primitive, untamed frontier lies the true face of the human soul. It is in the midst of this
savagery and unrelenting danger that mankind confronts the brooding nature of his inner self. Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, is the story
of one man's insight into life as he embarks on a voyage to the edges of the world. Here, he meets the bitter, yet enlightening forces that eventually
shape his outlook on life and his own individuality. Conrad's portrayal of the characters, setting, and symbols, allow the reader to reflect on the true
nature of man.
The two main characters in Heart of Darkness, Marlow and Kurtz are used to show the true nature of man, that is, the ... Show more content on
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This is expressed at both the start and the end of the novel. The "light" of Marlow, and his subsequent psychological awareness and evolution, is
contrasted by Kurtz, who, as many have expressed, may represent the "dark" half of Marlow.
Marlow's journey leads him in an urgent search for Kurtz, the one man who can provide him with the truth about himself. Like Marlow, Kurtz came to
the Congo in hopes to bring "light" and civilization to a backwards society. He is a highly–educated, refined gentlemen; yet, in the end, the brutal
nature of the Congo forces him to resort to the life of a murderer and pilferer. The name Kurtz itself has symbolic meaning. "The physical shortness in
Kurtz implies a shortness of character and spirit" (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation). Marlow and Kurtz both symbolize the two conditions
of human nature. "Kurtz represents what man could become if left to his own intrinsic devices outside protective society. Marlow represents a pure
untainted civilized soul who has not been drawn to savagery by a dark, alienated jungle." (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation). When the two
come face to face, each man sees a reflection of what he might have become in the other. In Kurtz, Marlow sees the potential
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Oedipus Journey
Both Oedipus Rex and Heart of Darkness tell the tale of a physical journey. Oedipus searches for the cause of the plague in Thebes and Marlow is on
a journey into the African Congo. However, the physical journey in these stories is mostly irrelevant. It is used to symbolize and illustrate an abstract
message. This message isn't always obvious. In both literary works, vision is used to bring the reader's attention to the message within the story.
The novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad conveys an image of civilization being a cover for the darkness lurking within every one of its
inhabitants. However Conrad is not able to directly state his feelings about civilization so he uses his story to properly portray this idea. The story ...
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"But I say that, you with both your eyes, are blind" (Sophocles 818) the blind prophet Teiresias says to Oedipus. Vision is used here to contrast
physical vision and insightful vision. This brings the reader's attention to the message that Oedipus' pride is clouding his insight which will eventually
lead to his tragic downfall. "Hands that have brought you father's once clear eyes to this way of seeing–– Ah dearest ones, I had neither sight nor
knowledge then," (Sophocles 816) Oedipus says to his children after gouging his own eyes out. It is only when Oedipus is blinded that he can finally
understand his true nature. The

Imagery, Symbolism and Motif in 'Heart of Darkness'
In this extract taken from the Novella, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad explores many elements. Conrad uses a framing narrative; Marlow's narrative
is framed by another narrative, in which the reader listens to Marlow's story told through one of those listening. The narrator remains unnamed as do
the other listeners. The narration is told in the first–person plural, letting the reader know what each of the four listeners are thinking and feeling. It
could be interpreted that the anonymity of the narrator represents the conventional perspective of an outsider, someone not involved.
One of the key aspects in the Novella is the way in which Conrad explores the depths of imagery, motif and symbolism. Arguably the biggest motif
explored in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The symbolism of light and darkness could also emphasise the mental disintegration that we witness, as a result of one being removed from their
normal social surroundings. "They were men enough to face the darkness", Conrad insinuates the possibility of this "darkness" taking over one's mind.
Conrad emphasises the darkness within mankind that is beneath the surface. He explores this through the characters of Marlow himself and Kurtz. He
repeatedly forewarns of those "who tackle a darkness" and arguably Conrad uses darkness as a metaphor, perhaps signifying the inability to see. It
could be interpreted as Marlow's inability to see and understand others.
Towards the end of the extract, the narrator repeats the disturbing line that Marlow says, "The fascination of the abomination – you know. Imagine the
growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate." Marlow looks at things from the perspective of a Roman
sea–captain, emphasising the idea that he's drawn to the darkness in the savage life and ultimately fills with hate when he surrenders to it. This again
ultimately foreshadows what is to come of Kurtz and even Marlow himself.
Conrad uses comparisons between interiors and exteriors emphasising Marlow's interest in surfaces and surface meaning. Marlow speaks of his
surroundings, "Sandbanks, marshes, forests, savages"; he doesn't delve deeper through the surface.
The Novella expands between 'good' and 'evil' and

Darkness Can Be Pure, And Light
Darkness can be pure, and light can be tainted. This is the view with which Conrad expresses his work in Heart of Darkness. Conrad through his
writing demonstrates how light and Darkness does not always hold rigid values. In Conrad's narrative, the traditional values of light and darkness is
not upheld, it can be seen how light can be used to emphasize evil while Darkness or black can be a sign of purity. The motif of light and darkness are
present throughout.
In his narrative of the ship Marlow refers to Europe as "one of the dark places of the earth." In this quote Darkness is not representative of evil, but
instead of the uncivilized state in which Europe used to be before being brought to the light which can be inferred to represent civilization. For
example, when Marlow refers to the explorers who "were men enough to face the darkness" it is in reference to courageous explorers of the past who
dare to explore the unknown. Civilized men of the past went on these expeditions to find wealth and a name for themselves in history. Conrad uses
Darkness to represent the unknown in this context.
Marlow refers to light being "like a running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightning in the clouds." This quote use light as a simile of life, and of
how short it can be. This brings out a characteristic of light; light does not last. Light although revealing when present does not last darkness is the
natural default in life. The violence in the two simile used

The Theme of Darkness in Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay
The Theme of Darkness in Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Works Cited Not Included
It has been said that although Conrad may not have been 'the greatest novelist, he was certainly the greatest artist every to write a novel';. I feel that
this is an apt description of Conrad's writing style in Heart of Darkness (1902), as he paints many verbal pictures by using expressive words and
many figurative descriptions of places and people. An extensive use of words relating to colour, is evident throughout the novella. The idea of darkness
(and light) is emphasized from the title of the novella, and continues to play an important role throughout in the story .
My opinion is that Conrad felt that using 'darkness'; as a recurring theme throughout ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
which mostly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you
look into it to much';, thereby condemning imperialism. He also invokes our sympathies in the 'black shadows of disease and starvation'; and his
descriptions of the senseless violence which he witnesses.
I also do not agree with another of the common interpretations which explains that Colonialism is and spreads the darkness. This notion is supported
by an idea previously stated and explained ? that Conrad criticises colonialism and imperialism. However, when thinking back on when he went to
France to sign up for the trip, Marlowe says that the women at the reception area were guarding 'the door of Darkness';. This suggests that only once
one had travelled through this door would one be exposed to the darkness. Therefore, the darkness is something foreign. Also, there are references to
the darkness of London once Marlowe returns from Africa, which leads me to think that the darkness is more like a feeling or emotion which
overtakes people once they have had a certain experience than a concept such as colonisation.
In the story of creation, dark was present in the world before light was created. Therefore, my view is that in Heart of Darkness, darkness represents
the base, elemental nature of the world, while light is what was created by man to cover this. The darkness is the true nature of the world, while

Biblical Allusions In Heart Of Darkness
"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it" (Wharton). This quote by Edith Wharton presents how to spread
light in the darkest of darkness just as the Congo was back in the 1888 when King Leopold brought the horror to the natives of the Congo. In Joseph
Conrad's Heart Of Darkness shows how man can be a light even in the darkest of darkness even though it may look impossible. Marlow, the narrator
of the novel, tells of his story about he tries to be a light in the darkness, referring to the Congo. The theme of people being a light in darkness is
displayed in Heart Of Darkness through the literary elements of symbolism, characterization, and Biblical allusions.
Throughout the brilliant novel, Conrad ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
With this in mind, Conrad shows biblical allusions by describing the people of the inner station as a whited sepulcher (Conrad 12). Even though a
whited sepulcher is a negative term, from the view of the white men at the Congo, they are being a light by "civilizing" the natives through pain. A
whited sepulcher is "outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27). The outward
appearance of the people who ran the Congo were viewed doing good from people outside of the Congo which is the way how people saw it as
being a light in the lives of those who were walking in the dark. Not to mention, faith brings light in darkness just as Jesus brought light into the
world, which the world was dark. Throughout the novel, it shows the symbolism of how light is affected by darkness, which drives out darkness.
For example, when Marlow's aunt claims that her nephew is going to bring the "faith", or in other words, civilize which in Marlow's view is to
educate the natives as he was suppose to do (Conrad 10). In all, through biblical allusions, Conrad displays the theme of people being a light in the
darkness from the views of the white people at the

Light and Dark of Colonialism and Imperialism in Heart of...
The Light and Dark of Colonialism Exposed in Heart of Darkness
In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, challenges a dominant view by exposing the evil nature and the darkness associated with the colonialist
ventures. It is expressed by Marlow as "robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind – as it is very proper for
those who tackle a darkness." The European colonialists are portrayed as blind lightbearers, people having a faГ§ade of progress and culture, yet are
blind of their actions. They think they are brining a light to a darkness, yet they are the real darkness or evil. Conrad's critique of European colonialism
is most apparent through the oppositions of light and darkness, with the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The manager personifies the darkness with his unbalanced priorities of obtaining of ivory and the deficiency of importance given to human lives,
thus displaying an intense darkness behind the faГ§ade of light. In the beginning of the book, Marlow comes upon a "grove of death" in the jungle
where black workers who are no longer able to function satisfactorily in the eyes of the company are left to die. Marlow also witnesses black workers
in chain–gangs throughout his journey up the river, along with a black man shot. These atrocities against the natives are as a result of the white
colonization and the activities of the manager, a character which represents the darkness within the supposed light that is brought to the natives. The
manager is solely concerned with the safe confiscation of the ivory and not at all with Kurtz' life, lives are seen as merely objects in the way of the
ultimate goal of ivory. Therefore the manager, with the "lightness"– a faГ§ade of bringing culture and improvements to the natives, is in fact the real
darkness, demonstrating the evil associated with the European colonialism of Africa.
Conrad also uses minor characters to enhance the distinction between dark and light, with character construction of good and evil along similar lines. In
the beginning of the novella, the members of the Nellie represent the contrast of the materialistic and the spiritual. The

Heart of Darkness Essay
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness does not explicitly deal with a struggle between war and peace: the conflict is a psychological, moral one;
however, the text's implications that society is a thin veil over our innate savagery, the darkness at the roots of Western civilization, reveals disturbing
truths about the peaceful, orderly lives we take for granted. The key to understanding Conrad's novella lies in ascertaining the metaphorical significance
of the "heart of darkness," a search which may yield an answer as complex and obscure than any geographical, sociological or psychological solution.
Since its publication, several critics have categorized Heart of Darkness as a travelogue, or, at the least, a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At the start of the novel...[use of "dark"]...also at the end...[use of "shadow", "blackness"] After evaluating these examples, it is possible to assume with
little doubt that Conrad considers the very bastions of Western civilization breeding places of a dark malady. It may be an overgeneralization to extend
the reaches of this "darkness" to mankind as a whole since the areas "afflicted" with it are considered civilized, limiting it essentially to the Western
world.
The Congo in Africa is home to dark native peoples that are portrayed with a natural, primal quality, a stark contrast to the civilizations in Europe. This
is the setting for British imperialism at work. It is therefore the setting where the supposed sophistication of civilized men is deconstructed, and all men
are revealed to share a common darkness. Africa and its inhabitants show an external darkness, while it is revealed that the colonizers contain darkness
within. Heart of Darkness is a criticism of imperialism that uses the metaphor of darkness in the human heart to show the similarity between cultural
groups perceived as different; elements of racism are used inside the darkness metaphor to emphasize anti–imperialism.
Darkness and its opposite, light, are contrasted in Heart of Darkness to reveal the irony of imperialism. Traditionally, light and darkness represent

Symbols, Setting, and Ironies of Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
Symbols, Setting, and Ironies of Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, is about many things: seafaring, riverboating, trade and exploration, imperialism and colonialism, race
relations, the attempt to find meaning in the universe while trying to get at the mysteries of the subconscious mind. Heart of Darkness is a vivid
portrayal of European imperialism. The book in other words is a story about European "acts of imperial mastery" (1503)–its methods, and the effects it
has on human nature–and it is presumable that Conrad incorporates much of his own experience in the Congo and his opinions about imperialism into
the story.
Beyond the shield of civilization and into the depths of a primitive, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The light image associates London with civilization. However, this illusion is cut short when Marlow states, "And this also, has been one of the
dark places of the earth" (pg. 67). This implies that London, "the pinnacle of structured life, only became enlightened and sophisticated after the
Romans forced "light" on the native savages" (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation). He describes how England was once a place of war
and bloodshed during the time of the Roman conquest; thus, the civilized connotation of modern England is contrasted with a barbarous era of
England's history. Later on in the journey, Marlow comes upon a native dressed in patches of "bright colors." Marlow views the bright colors as a
symbol of civilization, especially in the Congo where everything is brown or dark. The boy is standing under the sun looking "extremely gay and
wonderfully neat." (pg. 126). This illusion to light makes the boy seem attractive to Marlow, not because he is a native, but rather because his
persona of light associates him with civilization (Perfect Native). Marlow expresses his fear about conquests when he states that it is nothing but
"robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind as is very proper for those who tackle darkness."(pg. 69) Here,
the illusion to light and darkness implies that Marlow sees colonization as a darkness

Examples Of Narration In Heart Of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator introduces the reader to the Nellie and Marlow, a seaman. This outside frame narration lead
into Conrad's main character, Marlow's, point of view. Marlow, with a new job in Brussels, goes on a journey into the outer and central sections of
Africa, where he encounters the horrors of colonization and how the established hierarchy caused these inhumane conditions. Thus, the purpose of
Marlow's narration is to focus slightly on developing the story, but the process of enlightening his audience's morals. Through Marlow's usage of light
and dark and that helps him that emphasize the difference between good and evil. Marlow's powerful observation skills direct the reader to his
overwhelming ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow's description of the Russian harlequin, using words like 'boyish', 'little blue eyes', 'sunshine' to refer to Conrad and Marlow themselves,
completely innocent, and incapable of evil. However, the Russian is evil as "[he] nodded a nod full of mystery and wisdom. 'I tell you,' he cried,
'this man has enlarged my mind.' He opened his arms wide, staring at me with his little blue eyes that were perfectly round'"(67). The Russian refers
to Kurtz as the 'man' who 'enlarged' his ideology with imperialism. In fact, Russia does not colonize in the novel, which is important because this
shows the Russian's devotion to this new ideology. Even though the reader sees before that the Russian is like an innocent boy, they blindly follow
Kurtz's dark colonization plan. The Russian is the mislead and stupid person of the book, while supplying new information to the audience, as a result
of knowing Kurtz too well. Thus, the Russian is used as a narrating device to offer new information in his novel while also giving inside knowledge on
Conrad's and Marlow's implied attitude and

Comparing Dorian Gray And Heart Of Darkness
According to principles explained by Jacques Derrida, binary opposition is the means by which the units of language have value or meaning; each
unit is defined in reciprocal determination with another term. Derrida adds that, "for each center, an opposing center exists" (Bressler, 110). For
example, "we know truth, because we know deception; we know good because we know bad" (Bressler, 111). Joseph Conrad and Oscar Wilde's use of
the binary opposition of light/dark within The Picture of Dorian Gray and Heart of Darkness establishes both racial and class tension by contrasting a
"superior" concept with its inferior. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, setting plays a major role in displaying class differences within the novel. Darker
imagery is used to portray the East End, or the lower–class part of London, while the West End is described as wealthy and cultured. For example, as
Dorian travels through the East End, the chapter begins with, "A cold rain began to fall, and the blurred street–lamps looked ghastly in the dripping
mist" (Wilde, 176). Further, Wilde uses more dark images to create the scene of the East End. He states, "The moon hung low in the sky like a yellow
skull... the gas–lamps grew fewer, and the streets more narrow and gloomy" (Wilde, 177). The description of the East End strongly opposes the
description of the upper ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He further states that, "they were nothing now–nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation" (Conrad, 33). Marlow fails to give the natives
human qualities and simply reduces them to "shadows" and "unearthly" beings. He does not see the men as humans, but rather formless shapes and

Stevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature
Conrad also employs the literary device of symbolism to further display the theme, the duality of human nature in his novella Heart of Darkness. Three
major examples of symbolism are evident in this novella. These examples include, light and dark, the Congo River, and ivory. Similar to Stevenson,
Conrad uses light and dark symbolism throughout his novella. Yet curiously inHeart of Darkness, light does not symbolize genuine goodness nor does
dark symbolize pure calamity. Marlow proves this when he says as a comment to the Nellie's sailors that, "I know that the sunlight can be made to lie,
too" (Conrad 1944). The true essence of the light and dark symbolism is portrayed when Marlow compares the white men to the black men, concluding
that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The darkness is ultimately described as a living woman. This is shown through Marlow commentary when first landing on the location of Kurtz's
station: "the immense wilderness, the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious life seemed to look at her, pensively" (Conrad 1935). Conrad goes
on to personify the soul of darkness when Marlow relates it to Kurtz savage mistress:
Dark human shapes could be made out in the distance, flitting indistinctly against the gloomy border of the forest...And from right to left along the
lighted shore moved a wild and gorgeous apparition of a woman...She was savage and superb, wild–eyed and magnificent...the whole sorrowful land,
the immense wilderness, the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious life seemed to look at her, pensive, as though it had been looking as the
image of its own tenebrous and passionate soul (Conrad 1934–1935).
The duality of human nature is an important aspect of not only the Victorian literature, but in English history itself. The notion of the duality of human
nature threated the traditionalist way of life and how many Victorians had perceived religion. Robert Louis Stevenson and Joseph Conrad helped to
preserve this crucial theme by embodying it into their own novellas, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Heart of Darkness. Both
novellas portray the controversial theme in an intriguing manner. When first reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Heart of
Darkness the themes

Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness Essay
Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness
The realism movement of the late nineteenth century produced works in literature that were marked by reduced sentimentality and increased
objectivity. The goal was to let details tell the story, and remove noticeable bias of the author through scientific and detailed descriptions. While this
form of storytelling undoubtedly is most accurate, it creates difficulties for authors to incorporate their themes into the story. This resulted in an
increase in symbolism in realist works. The objects and descriptions within the story are the author's vehicle for displaying the values and themes of the
work. Light and darkness are symbols commonly used in literature, and have held specific symbolic ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of the biggest ways he contrast's the two is in physical locations themselves.
Conrad uses light as a symbol of civilization. Just as darkness is defined as the absence of light, the black jungle represents the absence of white man's
civilization – a civilization marked by corruption and evil. Conrad's description of Brussels in part one is an example of how he uses detail to
convey deeper meaning. "In a very few hours I arrived at a city that always made me think of a white sepulcher." (953) It is significant that Conrad
describes the building Marlow departs from as a white coffin, because the offices in that building are driven by greed and their job is sending men
out to their almost certain deaths. The white men in the white town send sailors in search of their white prize, ivory. This cycle of evil begins and
ends in this town. Describing the town as white is deceptive, because the town itself possesses an ominous feeling of death. This symbolizes the
deception of all the sailors who come to this town in hopes of finding fortune and are sent to their deaths. Conrad makes it clear that this is a deception
not found in the darkness of the jungle. When Marlow approaches dying slaves in the darkness of a shaded cove, he states: "They were not enemies,
they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, – nothing but black

Heart Of Darkness Figurative Language Essay
In the novel "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, Marlow describes physical and mental ideas that he has faced through the use of light and
darkness. In Marlow's speech he uses figurative language connecting light with knowledge, and the darkness with savageness. When he starts his
story, Marlow associates light to be a physical representation of humanities natural self. Also, Marlow uses the darkness to represent savagness as a
bad habit having escaped with life. But as he goes deeper into the heart of the Jungles in Africa he starts to comprehend savagery as a native form of
culture, but the metaphor changes as the person that narrates awakens, at the end of the novel Marlow determines that the Thames River seemed to
"advance into the root of a great darkness.'' The adjustment of the light and dark metaphor complement with Marlow's awareness that the only light or
truth about civilization is that it is, despite everything of it is absurd, unrealistic, appearances, is masked in darkness.... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In the novel, Marlow comes to the realization that his aunts colleagues accident represented him to the chief of the Inter Station, Marlow says " light
dawned upon me", comparing light to knowledge. It is clear in the novel, that Marlow affiliates light with civilization. Marlow illustrates the men who
went out the Thames to take control over the extensive scope of the world as bringing light into darkness, encircled with figurative lights beside their
weapons, "bearers of a spark from the sacred fire". Marlow associates light with knowledge, and civilization with light, therefore associating knowledge
and civilization. Marlows imagine towards English imperialism shows that he comprehends civilization as reasonably and ideal, and underdeveloped
institutions as

Light and Dark Imagery in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
Light and Dark Imagery in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a novel about a man named Marlow and his journey into the depths of the African Congo. Marlow is in search
of a man named Kurtz, an ivory trader. Though Marlow?s physical journey seems rather simple, it takes him further into his own heart and soul than
into the Congo. The setting, symbols and characters each contain light and dark images, these images shape the central theme of the novel. Conrad
uses light and dark imagery to help create the setting for the story; light represents civilization while darkness suggests the uncivilized. The novel
opens on the deck of a boat called the Nellie, as we are introduced to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The river Thames is the river that brings you into Europe, civilization, while the Congo brings you into the jungle or darkness. Another important
symbol in the story is the ivory. The ivory has a two–fold meaning and is a central theme in the novel. Ivory is taken from the tusks of male elephants;
they live in a pristine area untouched by humans. However, once the white man places a high price on the ivory, the ivory turns from good to evil.
Conrad uses the ivory as a representation of the greed and corruption that is in the white mans soul. In the case of Kurtz this same greed and
corruption overtook his soul, and caused his death. Each character has a special role in the novel; Kurtz and Marlow are the most important,
through these two characters we are able to see how good and evil balance each other out. Marlow?s journey into the heart of darkness can also be
seen as a journey into his own soul. He was in search of the darkest of objects, the ivory. Unlike Kurtz, Marlow was able to withstand the darkness
from controlling him. Kurtz soul became the darkness and caused him to forget everything else there was to life. His last words were not that of love
but rather of hate, ?The horrors the horrors.? Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a story about a man named Marlow and his Journey into the
African Congo. By reading the novel and understanding all the imagery Conrad has inserted, we can get a better understanding of the

Symbolism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness, contains many symbols that connect to themes within it. Heart of Darkness incorporates the symbols of
light and dark to develop the idea that society and characters, like Kurtz, contribute to the darkness of their society. Conrad's different observations of
the effect that nature can have on the characters and society within the novel, primarily focus on how something light and desirable can prove to bring
out the ugliest aspects of humanity or cause significant discomfort. Conrad also demonstrates this with the corruption of his character Kurtz, an
initially philanthropic and talented company employee who has a twisted lust for ivory and who commits horrible acts in it's pursuit. Conrad shows...
Marlow's response is that, "Sunlight can made to be lie" (Conrad 58). Marlow does not completely want to tell the intended that Kurtz was an awful
man, but does explain through the symbol of sunlight, he is referring to Kurtz's outside persona as the sunlight. His meaning of the "sunlight can be
made to lie" means that even though his fiance thought he was a great person, there was always a hidden darkness inside of Kurtz. Kurtz having the
darkness inside him contributes to the idea that the society of Heart of Darkness is dark due to the corruption it's people face from their
environment. The society depicted by conrad uses different symbols of light and darkness in Heart of Darkness to show the hollow nature of the
society the protagonist encounters throughout the novel. While the narrator is sailing upstream early in the novella, Conrad writes "When the sun
rose there was a white fog very warm and clammy, and more blinding than the night" (Conrad 65). This quotation compares the white fog to an
illusion of some sort. The fog, from a distance, likely seems very aesthetically pleasing and is most importantly for our purposes entirely white.
Conrad uses this white fog as a traditional symbol of the good in society since white is a symbol of purity. The fact that the fog has an smothered the
dark night shows that how even something that outwardly seems pure and light can have a treacherous, harmful aspect to it when one ventures within.
This is largely symbolic of

The Light-dark Metaphor in Heart of Darkness, by Joseph...
Throughout his narrative in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Charlie Marlow characterizes events, ideas, and locations that he encounters in terms
of light or darkness. Embedded in Marlow's parlance is an ongoing metaphor equating light with knowledge and civility and darkness with mystery and
savagery. When he begins his narrative, Marlow equates light and, therefore, civility, with reality, believing it to be a tangible expression of man's
natural state. Similarly, Marlow uses darkness to depict savagery as a vice having absconded with nature. But as he proceeds deeper into the heart of
the African jungle and begins to understand savagery as a primitive form of civilization and, therefore, a reflection on his own reality,... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
In a word, Marlow's delineation of the British imperialists implies that he understands civilization to be logical and rational, while he understands
primitive social organizations to be backward and crude.
As Marlow proceeds deeper into the heart of the African jungle and begins to understand savagery as a primitive form of civilization and, therefore, a
reflection on his own reality, the light–dark metaphor shifts. For example, when Marlow goes wandering in the jungle, he has contrasting experiences in
the sunshine and in the shade that are ironic in light of the established metaphor. Contemplating the colonialists in the jungle, he remarks:
'I've seen the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire; but, by all the stars! These were strong, lusty, red–eyed devils, that
swayed and drove men – men, I tell you. But as I stood on the hillside, I foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of that land I would become acquainted
with a flabby, pretending, weak–eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly. How insidious he could be, too, I was only to find out several months later.'
That the 'blazing sunlight' would proffer to Marlow the realization that the civilized colonialists were little

How Is Darkness Used To Civilize
We are afraid of the dark because we used to die in the dark, we are struggle in the dark or know nothing about the dark. The Dark is unknown, we
are afraid because something is going to jump out and kill us, struggle in darkness, can't see, or can't hear. Just the silence of true about the world. The
only way to hide from it is to stay in the light, then you'll to be safe, said the civilize. Stay in the door at night, because darkness is eating out the
light. The lie light has to say to keep to the dark away, keep us sleep at night, so we don't afraid of dying, during at night. Darkness excites when there
is light, during daytime their shadow, but during the night, there is no light. Light and dark excite on earth as civilize and savage the two unlike concept,
but civilize had to first be savage to become civilize The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The book describes The London as the most savage placed on earth, but the men from England, said that is civil placed, that when the idea of light
and dark came. The book in page 3 preference to the Roman empire that used to civil thousand years ago. Heart of Darkness is a confusing book because
they are no good guy or bad guy. The people just do a thing to survive even though they have to kill, like the Jungle. Marlow was more than that, he's
the superego the lifesaver of the world. Marlow is different because he went to Africa, because the Curiosity of the world, other there for wealth and
the wanted. The book show civil and savage as the European and the African. The European present civil, because they have manner, professional and
wealthy. On the other hand,the African present the savage, because they act like savage just kill to live, to survive and willing to even kill each other
for survive. The main thing that show the savageness of the native African is the head that staff on the wall of the main

lighthod Light and Dark in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
Light and Dark in Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's repeated use of darkness in his novel Heart of Darkness has been widely interpreted. Readers have arrived at many different
conclusions about the use of darkness throughout the novel. The critics themselves cannot agree what the darkness means.
The critics draw different conclusions about the use of darkness. For some critics, the use of darkness is seen as an intentional literary device. For
example, Gary Adelman and Michael Levenson discuss the use of darkness and comment upon Conrad's purpose. Gary Adelman suggests that Conrad
used darkness as a means to tie together various elements of the novel. Adelman says, "the most elaborate of Conrad's devices for ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
When Marlow finally meets Kurtz, he is faced with a "shocking revelation" (87) writes Adelman; "that the darkness . . . is not African, but European"
(87).
While Adelman talks about darkness and how it links many elements of the novel together, Michael Levenson concludes that Conrad chose to use
darkness throughout the novel because of the sense it conveyed to the reader. Levenson sees darkness as the "perfect moral term" (404), conjuring
up a certain impression that is conveyed from beginning to end of the story. As the story unfolds, the reader is meant to associate darkness with
facts and values. Levenson reasons that the "transitions" (404) from one scene to another are almost "seamless" (404) as a result of the way in
which Conrad uses words like darkness and gloom and what those words come to mean to the reader. To illustrate his point, he talks about "the
transitions from the literal gloom of the African jungle to Kurtz's gloomy horror . . . from the black bank of clouds above the Thames to the heart
of darkness" (404). They appear seamless, says Levenson "because this darkness is a metaphor which so reliably links facts and values" (405). He
then points out that because of its associations and the frequency with which it is used, the word darkness "scarcely seems a figure of speech at all"
(405). According to Levenson, this works to Conrad's advantage. He suggests that, as long as there is a strong association in the reader's mind between
darkness

Revelations of Dark and Light in Heart of Darkness by...
Revelations of Dark and Light
In the book, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad we are introduced to the concept of light and dark as they relate to the people of Africa and the
people of Europe. In the beginning of the book the intro gives an insight into the journey that the main character, Marlow, is about to embark on.
Conrad symbolically introduces the sun setting on the river as Marlow enters the mouth of the Thames. Conrad reveals this allegory by indicating
that Marlow is about to enter a dark place morally, and physically as a reference to the Negro people of Africa. Light and dark are used by Conrad to
represent morality and immorality.
The story takes a step back to Marlow in Europe ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
9).
The true purpose of the book is to reveal to the European people that Africa is being raped by the ivory traders. Kurtz, the villainous ivory hunter,
is portrayed in a captivating manner due to his eloquence. Kurtz is a representation of all European ivory traders, specifically Belgium, who journey
to Africa in hopes of striking it rich. Europeans come to take the ivory, but while there, they destroy the land and kill the people. Marlow then meets
an accountant after arriving at his post in Africa. The accountant seems to be a representation of the trading companies due to the fact that he is an
accountant and dressed immaculately in all white. The trading companies just like the accountant only care about the money being made off of the
ivory. The accountant is dressed so perfectly, however is corrupt on the inside. Light and dark is used to emphasize the thoughts of Europeans who
thought that the industry of bringing ivory back from Africa was a noble endeavor as stated in King Leopold II's "The Sacred Mission of
Civilization." King Leopold II states, "But if, in view of this desirable spread of civilization, we count upon the means of action which confer upon us
dominion and the sanction of right...our ultimate end is a work of peace" (pg.119). The need for dominance, but succumbing to monetary lusts is the
same reason Kurtz is the exemplification

Heart Of Darkness
Finding Light in the "Heart of Darkness" Light is one of the most universal and fundamental symbols...it is illumination and intelligence. Light is the
source of goodness and the ultimate reality...It is the SUN and the avenger of evil forces and DARKNESS...Light is knowledge. Purity and morality
are related terms as well ("Online Symbolism Dictionary").
Joseph Conrad was quite the rebel in his day. The celebrated author not only wrote a novella,Heart of Darkness, which offered a condemnation of the
imperial tendencies of European nations toward Africa; but he also dared to challenge the established symbolism norms of his predecessors, including
Mary Shelley and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Conrad's novella, set in Africa of the early twentieth ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow is ecstatic; he is close to meeting the enigmatic Kurtz, of whom he has heard much praise. He and his companions arrived at the bank
below Kurtz's station, and Marlow observed that "There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on,
deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances" (Conrad 30). Throughout the story, Marlow has heard of Kurtz's skill in procuring ivory and
his strong character. Yet as he is faced with the reality of coming face to face with Kurtz, Marlow finds "no joy" in the sunshine, which he even uses
"brilliance" to describe; wondrous sights no longer hold wonder. The "long stretches" of the river are seen, "deserted," and they continue into "the
gloom of overshadowed distances." Marlow can see the path he must take, and it is filled with shadows; it is devoid of light. Marlow's entire journey has
been building to the moment when he reaches his destination, yet to reach it, he must travel through the darkness: the path to enlightenment. Marlow
sees the stillness and rejects the "brilliance of sunlight," rejecting also anything that would hinder his enlightenment. Light therefore does not represent
illumination, as the path Marlow must travel to fulfill his physical and spiritual journey is shrouded in

Theme Of Narration In Heart Of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator introduces the reader to the Nellie and Marlow, a seaman. Conrad uses this outside frame
narration to lead into his main character, Marlow's, point of view. Marlow, finding himself with a new job in Brussels, goes to a journey into the outer
and central sections of Africa, where he encounters the many horrors Africans have to go through. Marlow reflects on how the established hierarchy
caused these inhumane conditions. Thus, the purpose of Marlow's narration is not to focus on developing the story, but the process of enlightening his
audience's morals. Marlow does this through his usage of light and dark and that helps him that emphasize the difference between good and evil.
Marlow's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Heart of Darkness's goal is to try to push Marlow's crew members in a modern direction without being too obvious The narrators finally have a
purpose –– to narrate the awareness of the darkness. Marlow, whose darkness was not merged by the sufficient amount of light he had, and decides to
offer his audience the same light and knowledge. The outside "unbiased" narrator succumbs to Marlow's biased narration and talks about the ignorance
of Europeans' behavior. As both narrators follow this idea, Heart of Darkness effectively enlightens the audience by showing how light and darkness
coexist with one another even when there is the predicament of it all being too

Joseph ConradвЂ™s "Heart of Darkness" Illuminates the...
Since the introduction of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness into society, critics have debated over the meaning of the ambiguous title. There are many
interpretations of this title, but the general consensus is that in the heart of darkness, you cannot do good: you can only be less evil. The title refers to
not only the physical lack of light in the jungle, but also to the grim consequences of imperialism due to the stygian heart of mankind.
The first meaning is that the "heart of darkness" refers to actual lack of light in the book, the jungle in particular. In the beginning of the novel,
Marlow describes that the "air was dark above Gravesend" (3). This is foreshadowing of the looming darkness Marlow will face ahead. When Charlie
reaches the edge of the jungle, he describes it as "so dark–green to be almost black" (11). This refers to the caliginous jungle, but also the corruptive
nature of the jungle as seen through the transformation of Kurtz. Another example of physical darkness occurs when darkness encroaches on
Marlow and the listeners. Marlow describes it as being "so pitch dark that we listeners could barely see each other" (95). Marlow observes that the
forest draws him in and seems beckon him to explore it. It had a "treacherous appeal to the lurking death, to the hidden evil, to the profound darkness
of its heart" (36). Marlow recognizes the lightlessness, but is still drawn to it. This emphasizes the darkness every man and woman has within them. It
is in the

Heart Of Darkness Imperialism
Throughout this narrative, Joseph Conrad's Heart of darkness, the main character marlow inquires the illumination of reality deep in the heart of Africa.
During his exploration a connotation of the African civilization and appearance mainly appears negative, due to the dark lexicon that continuously
appears throughout the book to describe almost all of the continents life. The book begins with the dark lexicon, presented directly on its title. The
reader's first depiction of the book comes from its title, this books title automatically gives off a negative connotation with the word "darkness" being
presented on the front cover. The meaning of the darkness is constantly changing throughout the book; however, the meaning will always result in a
negative connotation. Generally speaking, Joseph Conrad is trying to vividly illustrate a dark–imperialistic–savage place with unknown creatures and
evil coming from every corner. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, the darkness isn't only metaphorical, but also physical. The natives are dark; they are dark in color from the sun and all the dirty work they
complete. Just from the beginning of the book the reader can start to depict the presence of darkness will continue to be demonstrated throughout the
entire

Essay about Light and Dark in Heart of Darkness by Joseph...
In the book, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, all the characters are pulled into a well of black despair. Conrad uses the darkness of the situation
contrasted to the light of society to show man's dependence on western morals, and how when these morals are challenged by the darkness, the light
crumbles under its newly weakened foundation. The contrast between light and dark is most stark in the themes of setting, the changes in Europeans as
they drive farther into the Congo, and the white man's collapse under the ultimate darkness of the Innermost Congo.
The setting of Heart of Darkness is a very critical part of the book, and Conrad goes to extreme lengths to highlight the evil radiating from the region in
which he sets his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However I wasn't going into any of these. I was going into the yellow. Dead in the centre. And the river was there–fascinating–deadly–like a snake."
The description shows the bleakness of the Congo compared to the outside world, is one of the first representations of the civilized (or outside) world
contrasted to the Congo. The uncivilized/civilized comparison and the descriptions of darkness heighten when Conrad increases the contrast by moving
Marlow into an oasis of civilization, the Main Station, a port outpost on the coast of Africa, owned and commanded by white Europeans, but kept alive
by the slave work of black natives. Upon setting foot on shore,
Marlow begins to see glimpses of the darkness that awaits him, the natives along the path are described, in a manner closer to animal than human:
"Near the same tree two more bundles of acute angles sat with their legs drawn up. One, with his chin propped on his knees stared at nothing, in an
intolerable and appalling manner... others were scattered about in every pose of contorted collapse, as in some picture of massacre or pestilence."
The scene disturbs Marlow a great deal and he hastens to reach the camp, where he is removed from this reality he finds unpleasant when he comes
upon another man like himself, dressed in pure white, such that Marlow "took him for a sort of vision", and is temporarily rescued from the setting
Conrad has created. Conrad continues to create a setting that is described as

Light In Heart Of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator introduces the reader to the Nellie and Marlow, a seaman. Conrad uses this outside frame
narration to lead into his main character, Marlow's, point of view. Marlow, finding himself with a new job in Brussels, goes on a journey into the outer
and central sections of Africa, where he encounters the many horrors Africans have to go through. Marlow reflects on how the established hierarchy
caused these inhumane conditions. Thus, the purpose of Marlow's narration is to focus slightly on developing the story, but the process of enlightening
his audience's morals. Marlow does this through his usage of light and dark and that helps him that emphasize the difference between good and evil.
Marlow's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Heart of Darkness's goal is to try to push Marlow's crew members in a modern direction without being too obvious The narrators finally have a
purpose –– to narrate the awareness of the darkness. Marlow, whose darkness was separated by the sufficient amount of light he had, and decides to
offer his audience the same light and knowledge. The outside "unbiased" narrator succumbs to Marlow's biased narration and talks about the malicious
Europeans' behavior. Following the same idea, Heart of Darkness effectively enlightens the audience by showing how light and darkness coexist with
one another even when it is threatening to break Victorian

The Metaphors of Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay
The Metaphors of Heart of Darkness
Within the text of Heart of Darkness, the reader is presented with many metaphors. Those that recur, and are most arresting and notable, are light and
dark, nature and Kurtz and Marlow. The repeated use of light and dark imagery represents civilization and primitiveness, and of course the eternal
meaning of good and evil. However, the more in depth the reader goes the more complex it becomes. Complex also are the meanings behind the
metaphors of nature included within the text. It represents a challenge for the colonists, often also signifying decay and degeneration. Finally Kurtz and
Marlow represent imperialism and the colonists. All these metaphors come together and contribute not only to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
They weren't 'dark' until the coming of the 'light'. The reader is presented with conflicting and complex meanings, and is affected accordingly. They
become sympathetic toward the natives, despite the fact that they are supposed to be evil and uncivilized. Similarly, the metaphor of light representing
the white man's nature of civility and goodness is flawed. The white man is civilized, but is that really a good thing? The reader can see that although
the white men are civilized, they are brutes that are interested only in capital gain. The ivory that they hoard is white too. Again, the contradictory
nature of these metaphors produces interesting effects on the reader. They pity that which is dark, which is only in darkness because of the light. They
pity that which they are not really supposed to pity, and they are being asked to all throughout the text. It can be seen then, that the darkness and
lightness as metaphors in regards to the natives and the white men, creates effects for the reader that are only strengthened, as they get further through
the text.
Darkness is also an important metaphor for disaster and misery. The old women knitting are using black wool. Marlow even mentions his uneasiness
in regards to them, and how the older of the two "seemed uncanny and fateful", how they were "guarding the door of Darkness" (Conrad 14). They
were an omen for the dark months ahead, warning him of

Compare And Contrast Apocalypse Now And Heart Of Darkness
Darkness is a main theme in the novel "Heart of Darkness" . Indeed, darkness pervades the novel from beginning to end. It can be seen in this novel
literally as something being dark, the river for example, or metaphorically having a deeper meaning, violence for instance. Furthermore, Apocalypse
means the end of the world, referred to in the bible as when the earth is demolished by fire. Although "Apocalypse Now" is an adaptation of the novel,
it's not 100% faithful to all its details, but Francis Ford Coppola presented darkness as an important focal point. So, the titles embody the essence of
darkness. Both Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness show the scary evil nature of imperialism. In Apocalypse Now the U.S. military is the imperial
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shadows are seen in many shots of the film. On the boat, a Marlow encounters amount of fog .This element indicates Marlow's psychological
blurriness and his inability to make a clear decision concerning Kurtz. This confusion is translated through the chief's statement: 'you don't know where
the hell you going, do ya?(pg.)'. Moreover, Kurtz who is a main character is not seen clearly, but his face is only half–lit most of the time or
completely dark. Additionally willard kills Kurtz in a backlit act so that the figures are shadows. Also The scene of the arrow attack is covered with
fog representing the misrepresentation of ethical values. While the bridge shot is dark black lit only by sparks .The uneven light arouses the feeling of
confusion and shows that the troop is beyond the uplifting spark of

Modernism In Heart Of Darkness
The concept of modernism according to Schwartz "has been altered significantly by the emergence of postmodernism as an axial notion in our cultural
vocabulary"(250). Modernism was set in movement, in one sense, through a series of cultural shocks and unexpected breaks which experimentation
and individualism became virtues. According to Badick "Modernist literature is characterized chiefly by a rejection of 19th–century traditions and of
their consensus between author and reader". The poetry of the 19th century includes nostalgia for and old world, exotic places, fantasy elements like a
fairy. American artists felt like they had to go to Europe to the cultural capitals like Paris and London. Writers and artists were struggling to find new...
The whole novel moves between the relationship of the symbolic aspects of darkness and light, through his narrator Marlow, he uses every time the
theme of light and dark to contrast the civilized, educated and cultured with the savage, barbaric and brutal. According to Marlow and Kurtz African
people are in darkness because they are uncivilized so their mission is to give them light by educate them but the concealing truth is their power and
economic desire, their real mission is to keep them under their control. Several images of death and decay also associated with the black natives, to
Marlow they look like a ghost,"they were dying slowly– it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly
now,– nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom"(44). The main characters of this novel describe
about the atrocious aspects of dark and the path of light, but the fact is that whose are talking more about resolving the problem of darkness in African
people are totally covered with the deep "fog" of darkness,"When the sun rose there was a white fog, very warm and clammy, and more blinding than
the night– a cry, a very loud cry, as of infinite desolation, soared slowly in the opaque are... to me it seemed as though the mist itself had screamed, so
suddenly, and apparently from all sides at

truthhod Quest for Truth in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
The Quest for Truth in Heart of Darkness
Conrad's Heart of Darkness is set in Africa's Congo region, and his descriptions of that place are stark yet full of the wonder of discovery as well as
the shock that comes from uncovering ugly truths. Conrad was purposefully vague in his setting for Heart of Darkness; he never actually named the
destination to which Marlow journeyed. This may be because Heart of Darkness was more an inner journey than a journey between places. Conrad
juxtaposed his protagonist's inward quest with an outward journey through the wilderness of "dark" Africa. The novel's climax was not comprised of
actions, but of moral discoveries and intellectual awakenings.
A stylistic device utilized ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Conrad however, also used irony and some of the traditional connotations given to darkness and to light were turned around in Heart of Darkness. In
many cases Conrad even attached both images to a single object as when he described eyes that shone darkly or when he described men who were
dark and glittering. According to Said (1993), " . . . much of Conrad's narrative is preoccupied with what eludes articulate expression –the jungle, the
desperate natives, the great river, Africa's magnificent ineffable dark life." In Said's opinion Conrad's use of symbolism, metaphors, and irony was
necessary in order to convey the story's themes.
Heart of Darkness begins on the Thames River within view of London. There, Marlow begins his tale with the following statements related to
England's primitive past. "'And this also,' said Marlow suddenly, 'has been one of the dark places of the earth'" (9). Then he said, "'.... Light came out
of this river since –– you say Knights? Yes; but it is like a running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightning in the clouds. We live in the flicker– may
it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday'"(9). Marlow followed shortly by speaking of the Romans who came to
conquer Great Britain. "' . . . They were men enough to face the darkness . . .'" It is evident in these statements that the light being spoken of was
civilization; the

The Darkness of Colonialism and Imperialism in Heart of...
The Light and Dark of Colonialism in Heart of Darkness
In the opening of his novel, Heart of Darkness, Conrad, through Marlow, establishes his thoughts on colonialism. He says that conquerors only use
brute force, "nothing to boast of" because it arises, by accident, from another's weakness. Marlow compares his subsequent tale of colonialism with
that of the Roman colonization of Northern Europe and the fascination associated with such an endeavor. However, Marlow challenges this viewpoint
by painting a heinous picture of the horrors of colonialist ventures as we delve deeper into the recesses of the novel. Here we find that Marlow sees
colonization as "robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Like Marlow, Kurtz began his employment with the ivory company with noble intentions: he wants to create a better way of life for the natives.
However, because of extreme hardships placed upon him by the manager, Kurtz becomes the "dark" half of the soul: he symbolizes what Marlow may
have become if placed in Kurtz' position.
As the treacherous villain of the tale the manager, signifies total darkness and blackness of the soul, as he is responsible for the severely unbalanced
priorities of the company through the extreme importance given to the obtaining of ivory and the deficiency of importance given to human lives.
Conrad also implements minor characters to further the unexpected distinction between dark and light, black and white. The white pilgrims are
portrayed as materialistic, ivory–hungry opportunists with "black" souls; their behavior is violent and savage. Contrariwise, the black natives are civil,
spiritual, and have "white" souls. In the beginning of the novel, Conrad creates the fellow seamen who accompany Marlow on his present journey and
listen to his tale of the Congo to establish the contrast between the materialistic and the spiritual. The fellow sailors do not understand Marlow's tale
and chastise him throughout, showing their reluctance and inability to

Heart Of Darkness
Sometimes it's better to be clueless about what's happening around you than to know every bit of information that could corrupt you. One suspects that
the male protagonists from Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness, would agree. Throughout the novel, Conrad accounts the story of Marlow, the
protagonist, and his journey up the Congo River, as well as, his encounter with Kurtz, a venerated ivory trader. Both of their experiences leave lasting
impressions on their views of colonialism, corruption, and the inherent nature of human beings. However, as their knowledge and perspectives broaden,
their view on women stay increasingly narrow minded. Although there are minimal references to women, the few that are incorporated shed light on the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After the death of Kurtz, the Intended, completely distressed, yearned to know Kurtz's last words. Although Kurtz's last words were "the horror,"
Marlow lied and said the last word that Kurtz pronounced was the Intended's name. Even though he vowed previously to never tell a fib, the reason for
his lie was that the truth, "would have been too dark––too dark altogether" (Conrad 157). This instance shows how despite Marlow's morals, he still
believed the truth would be "too dark" for the innocent and ignorant woman. He did not want the Intended, someone pure and full of light, to be
corrupted by the darkness of reality. This mindset and contradiction of imagery reinforces the idea of the exclusion of women from the real world.
Marlow seemed to support the concept of separate realms for men and women, and that neither gender should cross over. Based on the novel, women
are shown as needing to remain ignorant of all harsh realities, and any knowledge can corrupt their world or lifestyle dramatically. This perspective
exemplifies the desire for things that are ignorant or of "light" to stay shielded away from the dark as protection. It is pertinent that women are left out
of touch with the world, even if it means sacrificing certain

Light and Dark in Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness Essay
Light and Dark in Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow chooses a brighter path than his counterpart in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, Capt. Willard.
The two share in the duty of searching for and discovering Kurtz, as well as taking care of his memory, but their beliefs before encountering him place
the characters at opposing ends of a theme. These opposing ends are light and dark, representing good and evil.
In the opening pages of Heart of Darkness, Marlow begins telling a tale of himself as nothing more than a sailor, who had a taste for adventure and
saw the navigation of a river in such a distant and mysterious place as the Congo as a chance to find it. Capt. Willard ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
There was those six that I know about for sure. Close enough to blow their last breath in my face. But this time it was an American and an officer.
That wasn't suppose to make any difference to me, but it did. Shit...charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at
the Indy 500. I took the mission. What the hell else was I gonna do? But I didn't know what I'd do when I found him."(AP) From this quote and the
preceding scenes of the film, we can clearly see that Kurtz and Willard are thinking on much the same levels and have dealt with the same issues in
their lives.
Marlow on the other hand has no idea about Kurtz, or any knowledge of the land he is about to visit, before he gets there. He is completely
unaware of his "darkness." As the journey continues up the river though, Marlow shows signs of contempt for the native people and their
"primitive" ways. The jungle is referred to as "darkness," as "chaos" and "a black and incomprehensible frenzy"(HOD 37). As he travels into the
heart of the Congo, he feels like he is leaving society farther and farther behind him. When he encounters a white man who is dressed as though he is
still in Europe, Marlow says he "respected" him. He says: "...in the great demoralization of the land he kept up his appearance. That's backbone. His
starched collars and got–up shirt–fronts were achievements of character"(HOD 21). Marlow takes this man as a "sort of a vision,"

Use of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
Use of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness contrasts light and darkness, to represent the civilized and uncivilized sides of the world. Conrad uses light to
represent the civilized side of humanity while contrasting the dark with the uncivilized and savage. Throughout the thematic stages of the novel, that is
the Thames river London, the company's office in Belgium, the journey to the "heart of darkness" and the conclusion, light and dark is used to
represent these sides of humanity, but on a deeper level many assumptions of darkness and light are challenged, with the appearance of light and dark,
and in turn good and evil contrasting with the reality.
From the initial ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
From the start of the novel, Conrad foreshadows Marlow journey into the "heart of darkness" through the use of light and darkness. Marlow's journey
to the Belgium company's office, where he encounters two women knitting black wool. The two women are commonly interpreted of representing
two of the three fates of Ancient Greek mythology who spun, wove and cut thread to represent the birth, lifespan and death of mortals. This darkness
used perhaps foreshadows the evil he will encounter, something that merely fate may decide. Marlow describes the place as the "city that always
makes me think of a whited supulchre", and the "city of the dead", thus, white in this instance is used to represent the exploitation of the company
and the true evil, which is hiding behind the faГ§ade of light and progress. Therefore Conrad uses the civilized white to represent the evil of the "dead
city" and the search for the "precious trickle of ivory".
The map in the company's office, and the light and darkness associated with it again demonstrates and perhaps foreshadows the good and evil, and the
civilized and uncivilized side of humanity. . He describes the map as being "marked with all the colors of a rainbow,"

Light and Dark in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay...
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a tragic tale of the white man's journey into the African jungle. When we peel away the layers, however, a
different journey is revealed – we venture into the soul of man, complete with the darkness of depravity as well as the wonderful. In this essence
Conrad uses this theme of light and darkness to contrast the civilized European world with the savage African world in Heart of Darkness.
As aforementioned, within Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses light and dark to symbolize good and evil, respectively.
"It is whiteness that is truly sinister and evil, for it symbolizes the immoral scramble for loot by the unscrupulous and unfeeling Belgian traders ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As well as the obvious difference between the white and black, we can perhaps see how the boy is trapped beneath and within white greed.
This leads me on to the struggle between the white people and the native tribes, which plays into the next theme, that of light versus dark. From the
very start, Marlow, the main character, creates a sense of darkness.
At last, in its curved and imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat, as if about
to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men"(Conrad 28).
The use of imperceptible shows the way in which darkness falls without distinction, it sneaks up on the reader and indeed the scene. The dull red is
lifeless and without energy and remains stagnant in its nature. Finally the use of the description, stricken to death the finally notion of darkness at its
worse is given.
Marlow's use of a modern city is the first glimpse of what he considers civilized and more importantly, uncivilized. Marlow begins by speaking of the
occupants of the boat. He explains that the owner of the boat is an accountant and a lawyer. This fact alludes to the idea of what might be considered
civilized. Furthermore the discussion he talks about the lights that are reflected in the water. This also creates the idea that he considers himself and the
passengers

The Light and Dark Forces in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
The Light and Dark Forces in Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, explores something truer and more fundamental than a mere personal narrative. It is a night journey into the
unconscious and a confrontation within the self. Certain circumstances of Marlow's voyage, when looked at in these terms, have new importance.
Marlow insists on the dreamlike quality of his narrative. "It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream – making a vain attempt, because no relation
of a dream can convey the dream – sensation." Even before leaving Brussels, Marlow felt as though he "was about to set off for center of the earth,"
not the center of a continent. The introspective voyager leaves his familiar rational world, is "cut ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow is the source of our story, but he is also a character within the story we read. Marlow has always "followed the sea", as the novel puts it. His
voyage up the Congo river, however, is his first experience in freshwater travel.Conrad uses Marlow as a narrator in order to enter the story himself
and tell it from his own philosophical mind. When Marlow arrives at the station, he is shocked and disgusted by the sight of wasted human life and
ruined supplies. The manager's senseless cruelty and foolishness overwhelm him with anger and disgust. He longs to see Kurtz, a fabulously
successful ivory agent who is hated by the company manager. More and more, Marlow turns away from the white people (because of their ruthless
brutality) and to the dark jungle (a symbol of reality and truth). He begins to identify more and more with Kurtz– long before he even sees him or talks
to him.
Kurtz, like Marlow, originally came to the Congo with noble intentions. He thought that each ivory station should stand like a beacon light, offering a
better way of life to the natives. Kurtz's mother was half–English and his father was half–French. He was educated in England and speaks English. The
culture and civilization of Europe have contributed to the making of Kurtz: he is an orator, writer, poet, musician, artist, politician, ivory procurer, and
chief agent of the ivory company's Inner Station at Stanley Falls. In short, he is a "universal genius". However, he

Darkness Everywhere in The Dead by James Joyce
When children think of darkness they think of lack of light which causes them to become scared. As we grow older, we begin to not only realize the
lack of light, but the objects inside the dark which can be more frightening. We start understanding how darkness makes us feel. Darkness makes one
think of unusual scenarios that are not real, but seems so real at that moment. Once we start believing in those scenarios, they start to overcome us and
we no longer stay ourselves. There are multiple definitions of darkness and they all go with these two authentic stories, Heart of Darkness and The Dead
. In the Merriam–Webster Dictionary, darkness is defined as: partial or total absence of light, wickedness or evil, unhappiness, secrecy and lack of
spiritual or intellectual enlighten. Comparing, Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad and The Dead written by James Joyce, each author brings out
darkness and the living dead into the main character and shows how much it changes them for the worse and/or for the better.
The Dead by James Joyce was an amazing story about a man named Gabriel Conroy and his wife Gretta attending a holiday party thrown by his aunts,
Kate and Julia Morkin, where he is supposed to deliver a speech in which he is very nervous about. Throughout the whole story, Gabriel shows us his
personality through his actions given to other people. Gabriel lacks emotional intelligence and is insensitive about everything around him and the
world. His personality is what

Light and Dark in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay
Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, was written to explore the soul of man. If the book is viewed only superficially, a tragic story of the
African jungle is seen, but when examined closely, a deeper meaning arises. Through his narrator Marlow, Conrad uses the theme oflight and dark to
contrast the civilized with the savage.
Through the individual characters, Conrad creates the division between dark and light and black and white created by colonialism. Marlow and Kurtz
can be as two halves of one soul. Throughout the tale, Marlow is disgusted with what he sees during his employment with the ivory company. He is
shocked and angered at the horrible treatment of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow also witnesses black workers in chain–gangs throughout his journey up the river, along with a black man shot dead in the middle of the road
and the beating of another black man accused of setting a fire in the supplies shed. Later, the manager orders the willful starvation of the cannibals of
the crew. The meat the cannibals brought with them rotted and, although they were paid enough to buy food, the manager refused to stop along the
way up the river for the cannibals to buy anything to eat. Finally, once they reach Kurtz, the manager sends men toward the compound heavily armed.
He is solely concerned with the safe confiscation of the ivory and not at all with Kurtz' life. Subsequently, the manager goes to great lengths to guard
the ivory while Kurtz is not: a makeshift curtain is all that separates Kurtz from the rest of the crew. Though all of these acts, the character of the
manager displays the absolute darkness of the ivory company.
Further atrocities committed by colonizing companies are shown through the Eldorado Exploring Expedition, based on an actual expedition – the
Katanga Expedition of 1890. The expedition exposes more materialistic stupidity of such missions and also represents the reckless pirating colonizers,
"greedy without audacity, and cruel without courage (Conrad, 27)." Just as in the

Essay Symbolism In Heart Of Darkness
Submitting to Symbolism
Every great author posses the ability to create a novel deeply woven in symbolism and subliminal messages. Underneath the literal journey encountered
in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness lies a tale saturated with subtle, yet, significant imagery that brings forth the true meaning of the novella.
Throughout Heart of Darkness Conrad uses a plethora of simple colors, objects, and places to convey multifaceted images and ideas. His fine
execution of the tools of the English language allows him to quickly lure the reader aboard the Nellie and not release him until the horror is over.
Although the interpretation of symbols in the Heart of Darkness is elaborate, due to their simplicity they ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and big trees were kings. An
empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest." (Conrad 59)
The action of travel upriver is another instance of the African environment trying to halt the progress of the whites while traveling downstream gives
them a quick way out of the "darkness" and back to civilization. This alludes to Kurtz and his "choice of nightmares."
"The brown current ran swiftly out of the heart of darkness, bearing us down towards the sea with twice the speed of our upward progress; and
Kurtz's life was running swiftly, too, ebbing, ebbing out of his heart into the sea of inexorable time. .... I saw the time approaching when I would be
left alone of the party of 'unsound method.'"(Conrad 109)
Drawing from the text the river may be concluded to be an image of a demon or a snake threatening all who it may entrap.
"A mighty big river, that you could see on the map, resembling an immense snake uncoiled, with its head in the sea, its body at rest curving afar over a
vast country, and its tail lost in the depths of the land." (Conrad 22)
The life and times of Kurtz serve as a valuable lead into the evil

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