Revelations Of Dark And Light In Heart Of Darkness By...

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
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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

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

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

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 Helpwriting.net ...
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

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 in Heart 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 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,"

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

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 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 of light 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

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

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 ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"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

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 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

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

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

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

Theme Of Narration In Heart Of Darkness
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

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

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

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

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

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 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
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 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 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

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

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 façade 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,"

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

Examples Of Narration In Heart Of Darkness
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

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

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

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

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

Joseph Conrad’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

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 ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
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

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

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

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 façade 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
façade 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 façade 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

Revelations Of Dark And Light In Heart Of Darkness By...

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Susan Cox

More from Susan Cox (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Revelations Of Dark And Light In Heart Of Darkness By...