Heart Of Darkness Essay Topics

Essay on Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
The dark thoughts, which are usually ignored and not allowed to be brought up in conversation, are
pushed back into the remote corners of the mind, but have the ability to run free when man is in his
most vulnerable state. Sleep, the unconscious. It is in dreams where twisted stories of malevolence
and horror take place. The soul's core is full of sin from the first minute man is born. Even Adam, the
original man, who was born when the earth began its timeline, has sin running through his blood. He
was God's first human creation, but destined to fall into the hands of the devil. Illustrated through
chiaroscuro, every man has a heart of darkness that is drowned out by the light of civilization.
However, when removed...show more content...
Marlow's sensations, as he travels up the river, and back in time, are unique to him and cannot be
fully shared with another man, because that man has not walked in Marlow's shoes, with the same
perception and mind. Although the "devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot
desire" (pg. 81) shine through the darkness of the jungle, Marlow can never bring himself to fully
condemn the imperialist project in Africa because it would threaten his identity as a European. As he
encroaches along the path of self–discovery, "beating on, boats against the current, borne back
ceaselessly into the past" (The Great Gatsby, pg. 189) the first glimpses of what man is really
made up of are too much to bear. The harsh descriptions of the white man's brutality against the
natives arise queasiness in any sane person. To admit that Marlow is part of this absurd form of
living would characterize him a savage, something a white man could never be, since evil is
symbolized through dark colors. Marlow is confronted with a series of exteriors and surfaces,
such as the river's banks and the forest walls around the station, which he must interpret in order to
see its true purpose for being. The exterior of a person's face can tell the story of their past,
whether they have suffered for the majority of their lives or have lived a sheltered lifestyle. A man
can be considered good until he is faced with a dilemma. The true nature of himself is depicted
through
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Throughout its entirety, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness utilizes many contrasts and paradoxes in
an attempt to teach readers about the complexities of both human nature and the world. Some are
more easily distinguishable, such as the comparison between civilized and uncivilized people, and
some are more difficult to identify, like the usage of vagueness and clarity to contrast each other.
One of the most prominent inversions contradicts the typical views of light and dark. While typically
light is imagined to expose the truth and darkness to conceal it, Conrad creates a paradox in which
darkness displays the truth and light blinds us from it. Initially, the story endorses the conventional
views of Western society, exhibiting light as a...show more content...
When the paradox between Kurtz's Intended and his Mistress presents itself, it calls to attention the
inversion of light and dark and the subsequent reversal of truth and ignorance. His Mistress is a
woman of the jungle, not only originating from it but, in essence, being it. She, in contrast to a
Western woman, is not hidden from the truth, but is, rather, submerged in it. "Her face had a tragic
and fierce aspect of wild sorrow and of dumb pain mingled with the fear of some struggling,
half–shaped resolve" (Conrad 56). Unlike The Intended, she expresses "wild sorrow" and "dumb
pain", deep and immensely honest emotions. These emotions expressed are terrifically different
than those of The Intended. "She carried her sorrowful head as though she was proud of that
sorrow" (Conrad 69). While Kurtz's Mistress conveyed raw pain and frantic fear, his Intended
demonstrates a sort of honorable mourning "as though she was proud of that sorrow". They also
contrast in that his Mistress is depicted in dark and rich colors, fairly exorbitant in dress. "a
crimson spot on her tawny cheek, innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her neck; bizarre things,
charms, gifts of witch men, that hung about her, glittered and trembled at every step" (Conrad 56).
Her skin is "tawny", she walks with "innumerable necklaces" and "bizarre things" that "glittered and
trembled". This paints a dark, vivid image that

Heart Of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad's famous novella Heart of Darkness, Conrad's characterization of his alter ego
Charlie Marlow is a mere mirror reflection of Conrad's psychological, dynamic development during
the course of his nautical experience at sea in the "beastly, beastly dark" Congo Free State. The
Polish born English novelist, christened JГіzef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in 1857, driven by his
passions to "follow the sea" received his first command–as an official British citizen and certified sea
master–in the year 1888. In 1890, he "took a steamboat up the Congo River in nightmarish
circumstances that permanently afflicted his health and imagination"–an experience, which is,
reflected in his fictional account Heart of Darkness (Greenblatt 2404). Conrad's...show more content...
The only ones to progress were the conquerors, whose "strength [and success was] just an accident
arising from the weakness of others" (Conrad 7),–where their professed acts of benefice were just
acts of "robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind–as is
very proper for those who tackle a darkness" (Conrad 7). Witnessing the ill–treatment people
suffered caused by imperial colonialism enforced by European traders first hand, Marlow's
pessimistic character undergoes a dynamic change in sensibility from his experience of "The horror!
The horror!" which "represents despair at the encounter with human depravity–the heart of darkness"
(Encyclopedia of Literature 526).
As a meditating Buddha of wisdom and gen, this new sense of consciousness affirms the overall
significance of Marlow's journey into the Congo, which was ultimately a quest for "gaining
self–knowledge in which the crucial experience is a process of maturation into...adulthood" (Karl).
Marlow's experience just as Odysseus and Gulliver's can be illustrated as Victorian Poet Alfred,
Lord Tennyson paints in his dramatic monologue "Ulysses," Latin for Odysseus, as: A bringer of
new things; and vile it were For some three suns to store and hoard myself, And this gray

Heart Of Darkness
Darkness is within us, whether we like it or not. However, the only thing that can conquer
darkness is light. What happens if there is no light? This dilemma is explored in Joseph Conrad's
novel, Heart of Darkness. Throughout the novel, Conrad successfully uses darkness as a symbol
through the use of flies, ivory and Marlow's journey through the Congo River. Throughout the
novel, Conrad shows how as people explore the unknown they tend to lose their innocence as they
are exposed to the negative aspects of life. One's perspective might be different from another's,
similarly, darkness can be seen in many different ways. One of the ways darkness can be seen is
through death. As Marlow's journey continues, he encounters many flies. Whenever an...show more
content...
Being lost there is horrifying as one may experience the true darkness of the river. As Marlow and
his crew travel upstream towards Kurtz, they struggle, which makes it seem that the river does
not want them to go there. This reveals that the river is trying to expel all the light remaining and
trying to embrace the darkness. Additionally, Marlow's steamboat gets caught in a white fog. The
colour white represents purity, however, in this case it illustrates darkness. The white fog distorts
Marlow and his crew's vision as a result, they have no idea what lies ahead in the open dark river.
Marlow and his team become afraid as they wonder what is going to happen next. Due to this, the
darkness which lurks in their thoughts grabs a hold of them. Later on in the novel, Marlow decides
that he will go into the yellow colour which is dead in the centre, furthermore, he says "the river was
there–fascinating–deadly–like a snake" (14). Conrad depicts the Congo River as a snake, which
reveals that the river holds a sense of danger and adds onto the illustration of darkness. In
summary, Conrad uses the nature of the river as a symbol to successfully express the true inner
darkness. Overall, Conrad successfully manages to use darkness as a symbol. Conrad expresses this
by using the flies, ivory and Marlow's journey through the Congo River. This goes to show that when
one explores the unknown, it can cause them to experience and acquire

Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness is a dark and haunting tale about the search for a substantial
and mysteriously powerful man named Mr. Kurtz. Heart of Darkness centers around Marlow, a
sailor and also narrator of the novella. Throughout the work, Conrad uses an array of literary devices
to suggest his style of writing.
The title of the work itself, The Heart of Darkness, is an example of the use of metaphor. Darkness
is a significant part of the book's title conceptually. However, it is difficult to discern exactly what it
might mean, given that absolutely everything in the book takes place in darkness. Africa, England,
and Brussels are all described as gloomy and somehow dark, even if the sun is shining brightly.
Darkness thus...show more content...
Conrad uses repetition in a manner that allows the reader to fully see what he is attempting to
emphasize..
The irony of the work lies within the title and the central theme– darkness versus light. The irony
within the work is based on the fact that one must travel through the darkness to get to the light.
Conrad's ability to manipulate the language and it's literary elements, makes the work quite
interesting and intriguing to engage. The use of these literary elements creates an aura within the
work both complex and suspenseful.
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, to civilize means to raise
from barbarism to an enlightened stage of development; bring out of a primitive or savage state, or
to educate in matters of culture and refinement; make more polished or sophisticated.
In Heart of Darkness,the sense of the definition is dependent upon Mr. Kurtz's mission to promote
his ideas as to what it means to be civilized. Mr. Kurtz was a well–known man who has achieved a
distinguished reputation for maintaining the ivory trade."Kurtz is a prodigy . . . He is an
emissary of pity and science and progress, and devil knows what else" (47).He could live a life of
luxury by selling his ivory in Europe. The company's Chief Accountant remarks, "He will be a
somebody in the Administration before long. They, above–– the

Heart of Darkness: Psychoanalytic Criticism
Psychoanalytic criticism originated in the work of Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who
pioneered the technique of psychoanalysis. Freud developed a language that described, a model that
explained, and a theory that encompassed human psychology. His theories are directly and indirectly
concerned with the nature of the unconscious mind. Through his multiple case studies, Freud
managed to find convincing evidence that most of our actions are motivated by psychological
forces over which we have very limited control (Guerin 127). One of Freud's most important
contributions to the study of the psyche is his theory of repression: the unconscious mind is a
repository of repressed desires,...show more content...
And though a large part of the ego is unconscious, it nevertheless includes what we think of as the
conscious mind.
The superego is a projection of the ego. It is the moral censoring agency; the part that makes moral
judgments and the repository of conscience and pride. It brings reason, order and social acceptability
to the otherwise uncontrolled and potentially harmful realm of biological impulses (Guerin 128–31).
Freud's theories have launched what is now known as the psychoanalytic approach to literature.
Freud was interested in writers, especially those who depended largely on symbols. Such writers
tend to tinge their ideas and figures with mystery or ambiguity that only make sense once
interpreted, just as the analyst tries to figure out the dreams and bizarre actions that the
unconscious mind of a neurotic releases out of repression. A work of literature is thus treated as a
fantasy or a dream that Freudian analysis comes to explain the nature of the mind that produced it.
The purpose of a work of art is what psychoanalysis has found to be the purpose of the dream: the
secret gratification of an infantile and forbidden wish that has been repressed into the unconscious
(Wright 765).
The literal surface of a work of literature is sometimes called the "manifest content" and treated as
"manifest dream" or "dream story." The psychoanalytic literary critic tries to analyze the latent,
underlying content of the work, or the "dream thought" hidden in

The Novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is about an Ivory agent, Marlow, who is also the
narrator of his journey up the Congo River into the heart of Africa. Marlow witnesses many new
things during his journey to find Mr. Kurtz. In Apocalypse Now, the narrator is Captain Willard,
who is also on a journey to find Kurtz. The Kurtz in the movie however is an American colonel who
broke away from the American army and decided to hide away in Cambodia, upon seeing the reality
of the Vietnam War. The poem "The Hollow Men"talks about how humans' "hollowness" affects
their lives and often leads to the destruction of one's life. These three works all deal with similar
issues, and are related to one another in many ways, and also share...show more content...
"Everything belonged to him. It made me hold my breath in expectation of hearing the wilderness
burst into a prodigious laughter..." Kurtz believed that everything around him, such as the ivory, and
the river all belonged to him. This greed eventually made him forget his identity and he ended up
becoming part of the jungle and dying there as a result. Such actions done by Kurtz and his men are
a small but important example of what was really happening in Africa by the Europeans during the
colonial period. Kurtz's death represents the downfall failure of European imperialism in Africa.
The movie Apocalypse Now has a very similar thematic structure but a different issue. Colonel
Kurtz in the movie could be an example of how the Americans pretty much lost the Vietnam War.
Kurtz realized what was happening around him. "The horror" to him was perhaps the war and the
impact of this war on the people's lives. Kurtz was sent to Cambodia to immunize the children, and
was horrified to find out that the Vietcong had cut off all the inoculated arms. This showed Kurtz
the reality of war, and that was probably the point where Kurtz had lost his identity and no longer
knew why he was there and

Heart of Darkness Themes Essay
Jacob Lachini Ms. Batten ENG 4U1–03 Monday, October 29th, 2012. Literary Criticisms in
Relation to Heart of Darkness Interpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art. Even more. It is
the revenge of the intellect upon the world. To interpret is to impoverish, to deplete the world –– in
order to set up a shadow world of ''meanings," Susan Sontag. It is a persons interpretation of any
form of literary work that defines itself, what the author intends a reader to discover may be
completely different from what the reader interprets. In the novel, The Heart of Darkness, by Joseph
Conrad, a reader can understand and identify the thematic aspects of the novel by studying the
literary criticism theories of historicism,...show more content...
I wasn't very interested in him. No. Still, I was curious to see whether this man, who had come out
equipped with moral ideas of some sort, would climb to the top after all and how he would set about
his work when there" (Pg. 102). Marlow's concerns are questionable due to the fact that he has never
even met Kurtz and if the readers understand why Marlow is concerned, they will further their
understanding of the novel. Marlow's complexity is difficult to understand, however, by studying the
literary criticism theory of psychoanalytic, we can identify the relationship between Marlow and the
author and the choices he makes throughout the novel. Studying the Marxist theory of literary
criticisms can help readers better understand the context of the novel. In the novel, Marxist theory
can help readers identify the economic situations throughout the novel. This is portrayed through the
accountant in white, the conditions of the chain gang and the fire in the shed. The economic
situation in the novel is portrayed by the white men's wealth and the native's slavery. The accountant
in white portrays his character as an arrogant human being and he flaunts his arrogance. Marlow
describes the accountant in white, "His appearance was certainly that of a hairdresser's dummy; but
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

Heart Of Darkness Essay Questions
1# "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the 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 too much." Part 1, pg. 4
Issue: How does a society resolve the contradictions presented by freedom and equality?
Explanation: Marlow is about to begin his story with a comparison of the Romans expansion and
the British colonization. Marlow displays his disgust in the control and enslavement of other
people. He after his experiences on his adventure in the jungle and seeing how they used the natives
in the in the ivory trade back to Europe. He relates the efficiency used by the British with the
brutality used by the romans to show that they are not...show more content...
In the jungle, there is an absence of society to control man and thus evil overcomes them. When
there is an absence of society man feels free to do what he wants and thus falls into the evil in his
heart. Society is present it acts a barrier between man's dark heart and reality. Without a strong held
faith man loses out to the evil forces that reside in his heart. Therefore, as an individual presented to
society one need a strong faith in God to continue to be

Essay about Heart Of Darkness
"Did he live his life again in every detail of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme
moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision–he cried out
twice, a cry that was no more than a breath: The horror! The horror!"
What horror is Kurtz recounting as his final words? Truths lie inside the inner soul of all human
beings, it is just a matter of when and where they will come out. Kurtz choose to let his be known as
his passing words. An epiphany, a passing glimpse, the realization of what he has created and
destroyed, willingly, or blindly going about hacking through the jungle blindfolded, searching for
something of extrinsic importance. The narrator of Heart of Darkness never lets the...show more
content...
The savagery, when imagining those millions of Africans murdered all for the sake of ivory tusks,
is too disheartening for the uninitiated person. Some person, with the beast already inside their
soul, could approach this task with no qualms about any methods used against fellow humans.
Kurtz had this characteristic. He had gotten off the boat and into the jungle, fully. He was no
longer apart of this world, but still in it. The nature of savagery had taken his whole being over;
infact, any embodiment of European civilization had continued to fall overboard the farther
down the river he journeyed. The intricate woven fabric, with each tiny fiber being a thread of
knowledge, experience, and lessons learned make up the blanket of our personality. Kurtz had
chosen to take a very sharp pair of scissors and cut away all that warmth this personality blanket
provides. By discarding the very nature of his being this left him hollow, a creature with a
threaded existence, tattered and worn, he came apart at the seams. He could no longer feel the
same emotion, or emphasize with his fellow man. Therefore, the senseless violence he perpetuated,
did not bother him, why would it? He was the African's God, able to do as he pleased, he, and he
alone, decided who shall

Heart Of Darkness Research Paper
The turn of the twentieth century lead to a new era of literature and society. During this time,
people saw a new way of literature and opened their eyes to an advanced world with the beginning
and ending of both world wars. The Modern period showed many authors attacking values and
reflecting a greater degree of doubt throughout their work. Authors especially criticized the belief of
national exceptionalism. One author who argued against a central problem or defining feature of this
period was Joseph Conrad in his writing A Heart of Darkness. This story tells the journey of an
Englishman in the Congo, trying to save one of his fellow workers from the savage jungle.
Throughout this novel, readers can see Conrad denounce the action and purpose...show more
content...
Through Marlow's journey, readers see the appalling tools of colonialism laid bare and the real
reason behind Europe's mindset is exposed. Conrad argues with the accusation of Europe and
other countries who use violence to "civilize" land and their inhabitants, as inhuman and savage.
That the natives who are suppose to be helped are really not the uncivilized people. Furthermore,
the Europeans are barbaric due to their greed for wealth and power. The author indicated this
problem throughout Heart of Darkness, because he wanted people to question who was really
"civilized" and "savaged." His novel allowed people to see this defining feature of the Modern period
in its true

Heart of Darkness Essay
Heart of Darkness Darkness permeates every circumstance, scene, and character in Joseph Conrad's
novella, Heart of Darkness. Darkness symbolizes the moral confusion that Charlie Marlow
encounters, as well as the moral reconciliation he has within himself while searching for Kurtz.
Marlow's morals are challenged numerous times throughout the book; on the Congo river and when
he returns to Brussels. Charlie Marlow characterizes the behavior of the colonialists with, "The
flabby, pretending, weak–eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly," (25). Marlow distinguishes
"the devil" from violence, greed, and desire. He suggests that the basic evil of imperialism is not
that it perpetrates violence against native peoples, or...show more content...
However, he continuously interprets the actions in the world surrounding him. "Going up river
was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world...prehistoric earth," (59) reflects the
Europeans inclination to regard the natives as primitive. Marlow's notion of traveling back in time
is later reinforced by the arrows and spears that are used in the attack on his ship, "Sticks, little
sticks, were flying about...Arrows by Jove, we were being shot at," (79). Marlow is distraught by
the natives he sees along the river bank, "...and the men were––No, they were not inhuman. Well,
you know, that was the worst of it–this suspicion of their not being inhuman," (62). Marlow realizes
though that the natives are no different from an uneducated and ignorant European. This realization
is significant to the personal development of Charlie Marlow and explains his treatment to the
natives later in the novella. Further insight to the relationship between Kurtz and the Russian trader
is offered in section three. Although the Russian trader is naГЇve, he came to Africa in search of the
same thing as Marlow; something experimental. They both aligned themselves with Kurtz. For
Marlow, Kurtz represented the choice of outright exploitation over the hypocritical justifications of
cruelty. "'Nevertheless, I think Mr. Kurtz is a remarkable man," (112) Marlow is willing to put
aside the reality of Kurtz's cruel and selfish behavior, in order to satisfy the

1.Some critics believe that in Heart of Darkness Conrad illustrates how ''the darkness of the
landscape can lead to the darkness of the social corruption." This statement means that if the
environment is dark, then the people in that environment will match the surrounding feeling,
which is dark and depressing. For example, if it is a gloomy rainy day, most people feel tired and
not as happy. If it is a bright sunny day, the most people feel motivated to get things done and
joyful. Yes, this statement is believable because I have noticed that the weather, my surroundings,
and even other people's behaviors around me affect my mood. Today, for instance, it rained all day
and the sky was dark, as a result I slept throughout the whole...show more content...
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is depicted as an upstanding European who has been transformed by his
time in the jungle– being away from the society he was used to that could have prevented him from
becoming such a tyrant. I have experienced being in a situation where I was very different from
the people around me. It forced me to figure out their interests so I was able to join in on their
conversations. By the end of the day, I no longer felt alone. So that experience taught me that I am
going to come across diversity in life, but I need to be open and accepting of it. If I had chosen to
just be shy, I wouldn't have learned this lesson. I didn't find myself being pulled toward base, cruel
instincts as Kurtz, but I think that's because Kurtz had no one to control him. If a person gains that
much power, it may lead to the transformation that Kurtz experienced. –pg. 144 "But his soul was
mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had
gone mad."
4.Kurtz dying words are a cryptic whisper: "The horror, the horror". There could be more than one
possibility of the "horror" Kurtz could have been talking about. I think that it symbolizes the
darkness of Kurtz's tyrant and savage–like qualities that he gained when he lived with the natives.
When he

Heart Of Darkness
Due to Heart of Darkness' circular narrative structure, Marlow begins and concludes his story in
identical positions: sitting on a boat on the River Thames in a Buddha–like pose. Yet, while this
circularity could imply an absence of progress or development, instead, it reflects Marlow's
ongoing search for meaning. Knowles (p.xxxi) expands, commenting, "... [Conrad] implies that the
end is but a beginning to another telling." As such, Marlow is trapped in an infinite retelling,
searching for meanings that elude him. In fact, Marlow's atypical perception of meaning is
emphasised before his story commences, "... [to Marlow] the meaning of an episode was not
inside like a kernel, but outside enveloping the tale (p.6)." Thereafter, Marlow acknowledges his
journey was "...not very clear...and yet it seemed to throw a kind of light (p.9)." These passages
advise readers not to expect a linear, finite narrative, while also foreshadowing Marlow's pursuit for
interpretable meaning....show more content...
Nevertheless, obstacles preclude Marlow from conclusively understanding events. For example,
recurrent fog prevents him from lucidly assessing reality: "When the sun rose there was a white fog,
very warm and clammy, and more blinding than the night (p.48)." Here, Marlow is literally and
symbolically blinded; he cannot see physical events, or abstract meanings. Moreover, Marlow
frequently overhears isolated conversation fragments, including a discussion between The Manager
and his nephew (pp.38–40). Although Marlow understands what he literally hears, he lacks the
context to ascertain broader

Heart of Darkness–ISP
By: Robert Pittelli You can argue that nearly everyone on this planet has at least one desire within
that is so dark and evil that they would do anything to achieve that goal. However, most individuals
are capable of controlling and taming their greedy desires for personal gain such as wealth, power,
and fame, to the point where they are concealed, leaving their sanity untouched by the extreme
darkness of their sinful wishes. Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, provides the greatest
example of how man's appetite for greed can prevail and consume almost an entire race's soul into
complete and utter madness, to the stage where it is solely driven by the blackness and impurity of
greed. In Heart of Darkness,...show more content...
The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading post where ivory was to be had, so
that they could earn percentages." (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 29). The European trading company
was all about hunting for ivory, and the greediest member of all was Kurtz, and coincidentally the
most deranged of them all. Kurtz would, in the words stated by the Russian, "go off on another
ivory hunt; disappear for weeks; forget himself amongst these people–forget himself–you know.'
'Why! He's mad, I said [Marlow said]." (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 70). Eventually, Kurtz reached
the point where he was solely driven by the material desire for ivory, and as a result, suffered the
fate of madness; "Evidently the appetite for more ivory had got the better of the–what shall I say?
–less material aspirations," (Conrad, Heart of Darkness 71) Marlow asserted, referring to Kurtz.
It is apparent that Kurtz longed for ivory, but why is this material good so seductive and luring to
him. What if we look at this from a psychological perspective? Stephen Ross, from the University
of Victoria, tries to answer this question by concluding that ivory's "real power lies in its status as
a fetishized signifier" (Ross, Desire in Heart of Darkness 71). He adds that ivory is "not only of the
Company's desire, but also of its employees' desire in as much as they earn percentages on the

Heart Of Darkness Mood Essay
Heart of Darkness...What Does this really mean? Is it a mood you've been in since you were
young that spond from your parents.Or is it something that took many years of pain or is it
something the was just in the moment . I personally feel that this story can relate to everyone no
matter how young or old. The feeling or mood, that something that one can relate too. The
atmosphere helps determine what kind of mood the reader will have. Most authors, use a painting or
piece of literature will set the mood by using their atmosphere to enhance the theme of their creation.
In Heart of Darkness, Conrad tends to use mood and atmosphere to create a portrait called, the
journey into the soul. The journey to the soul portrait is to find who...show more content...
This relates to the readers by them being aware of their demeanor.The author hints that maybe
perhaps there is a bit of Kurtz inside us as humans.This must be something that relates to the
theme and storyline as well as the characters play that role. Most of the characters in the novel
follow under general names such as, the manager, the helmsman etc. This is very interesting
because why would Conrad use this approach. I think possibly Conrad took that approach to
express the feeling of lost identity.That proves that the journey to find self's inner identity is still
intact today. Finding one's self is a dangerous journey. I'm sure we all have plenty of distractions
along the way that are categorized as temptation.These temptations are wicked and can lead to
dangerous suffering. Marlow "saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no
faith, no fear, yet struggling blindly with itself." Conrad Anyone who read Heart of Darkness can
go back and take a look at the character Kurtz and relate themselves to a moment in their life that
might have fallen into the darkness also this proves that the journey to the soul is not a pleasant

Morality has been interpreted in different ways throughout life, but there is only one true
definition, which leads to the reality of what society truly is. Joseph Conrad uses narration in
Heart of Darkness to explain and analyze human's moral values. It is true that all humans are
savages, but this savage nature does not make someone a bad person. If a person uses one's savage
features for evil and do not restrain from doing so, then it is the lack of restraint that brings upon
the evil in humans. Restraint is necessary for the sake of mankind because it helps a person to ease
into understanding the harsh reality of life. Morality is the ability to restrain from using one's savage
nature for the demise of...show more content...
In the colonization of the Congo, the strong Europeans did not restrain from using their savage
nature and took away all freedom for greed. The natives, which are cannibals in this case, are
strong and powerful in this situation and can probably destroy the Europeans and take away their
freedom as well, but they do not. They restrain from doing something that is wrong: winning an
unfair fight. This concludes that because of restraint the natives understand right and wrong and
the Europeans do not. The ability to restrain allows individuals to act morally and therefore leads
to a much more stable society. Restraint not only allows humans to act justly, it also helps people to
understand life and its cruelty better. The truth, hidden beneath the lies of society, creates negative
affects to humans once it is uncovered. Humans use lies to cope with life to such an extent that the
lie itself becomes the truth because it is engraved within the mind of the individual. The harshness
of life is the realization that the life one lives is a lie. Sometimes this realization is so intense
people cannot accept it and will eventually collapse, which will in turn cause society to collapse as
well. Conrad uses the concept of the lie being the truth to show that humans try to make sense of life
even though

Heart Of Darkness Analytical Essay
In the novel Heart of Darkness, the character Marlow travels in a steamship into the Congo to find
and bring back Kurtz and his stash of ivory. Marlow spent much of his journey fantasizing about
the man called Kurtz that he had never seen before, only heard about. However, when the moment
of the meeting finally arrives, Marlow is met with a sickly man reaching his end. They bring him
onto the steamship to take him back to Europe, but he dies soon after, leaving Marlow with his last
words: "The horror! The horror!" (Conrad 64). As his life leaves him, Kurtz realizes the evils he
and the Europeans have committed, leaving him with only these last thoughts. Kurtz's greed for
ivory runs deep. He managed to convince a native tribe to follow him

Heart Of Darkness
First and foremost, In "Heart of Darkness" the internal and external conflicts are intertwined with
Marlow's trip into colonial Africa. Initially seeking adventure, Marlow is looking forward to
taking a journey up the Congo River to find Kurtz, a man who he initially looks up to. However,
during the trip, Marlow encounters many external conflicts that begin to change his internal
beliefs. His journey is a difficult one and the external conflicts Marlow sees are horrible. He sees
a French ship shelling the bush country but there seem to be no humans in sight. He sees naked
black men dead and dying of disease. His boat is fired upon by supporters of Kurtz. Finally, when
Marlow meets Kurtz, he finds a man who he can't look up to. He sees and feels how low a...show
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He feels greatly out of place, disgusted by these things. It is through his eyes, then, that we can
experience the terrible situation the Europeans have created to strip the land for personal profit.
The darkness no longer applies only to the shadowy jungle, but to the blackness of men's souls.
This is a land of mystery, and what is unknown is used to create the mood and influence the reader.
With every terrible act Marlow witnesses, the reader is more disgusted; we learn more about Kurtz
and Marlow–the setting provides the opportunity for characterization. Part of the suspense of the
story rests in the unknown dangers in the jungles. This also comes from the story's setting. All this
prepares the reader for butchery, human sacrifice, and Kurtz's complete moral degradation–the same
man who is worshiped by the natives as their chief...like a god. When Kurtz is found, he is
completely mad and physically ill–changed by what he has done and what he has seen. The setting
affects the mood, the characterization and the plot development. The setting allows for more
realistic plot development, and as a result, more credible

Heart of Darkness
While I was reading the short story "Heart of Darkness," by Joseph Conrad, I recalled an essay I
read back in Korea, titled "Why Do We Read Novels." The writer of the essay states that the most
common reason why we, as people, read novels is that it makes us ask ourselves how the justice or
injustice of the real world relates to that of the author's words. In this way, the short story "Heart of
Darkness" portrays the experiences and thoughts of Conrad through the tale of two important
characters, Marlow and Mr. Kurtz. His work forces the reader to ponder questions of the morality,
humanity, and insanity which takes place in our human lives.
The story is a record of Marlow's journey to meeting Mr. Kurtz, a morally corrupted being who is a
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While Marlow was going up in the Congo River, he heard many words that implied something
different than what he had previously expected of Mr. Kurtz. At one of the stations, The Russian
man told Marlow how he is a dedicated follower of Mr. Kurtz, which made Marlow realize that
Kurtz's moral doctrine might just be an outward appearance. All the while, Kurtz had been acting as
a god among the natives, exploiting all their ivory, sending it back to Belgium. He had been
subjugated by the wilderness of the jungle, and thus lost some of his sanity.
After Marlow realized that anyone can fall prey to the erosion of the mind that the jungle inflicts on
people, he discovers that in an environment where there is no self–restraint and is filled with
solitude, Kurtz is rather honest and straightforward with himself. The face that Kurtz makes at the
moment of his decease enables Marlow to presume that Kurtz had finally discovered the meaning of
his life.
"I understand better the meaning of his stare, that could not see the flame of the candle, but was
wide enough to embrace the whole universe, piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in
the darkness. He had summed up –– he had judged. 'The horror!' He was a remarkable man. After all,
this was the expression of some sort of belief..."(p.313)
As shown above, Marlow

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