Symbols, Setting, and Ironies of Joseph Conrads Heart of...

Symbols, Setting, and Ironies of Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrads 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†¦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 Englands 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 t o 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 darknessShow MoreRelated Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness1248 Words   |  5 PagesCharacters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Deep within the chest of every man, woman, and child beats the heart of darkness. On the surface, mankind has achieved a sophisticated level of civilization. Joseph Conrad forces the reader to peel away the pristine layer of sweetness and see the unaltered truth. Heart of Darkness reveals the true nature that lurks behind every smile, handshake, and conversation. 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Through this3100 Words   |  13 PagesMy research paper is entitled, Analyzing Heart of Darkness through a Feminist Lens. Through this paper, I will investigate and examine Heart of Darkness by means of Feminist Criticism and literary theory. I aspire to thoroughly analyze the entire narrative, in order to pull out and pinpoint various aspects and examples linked to feminist theory. I want to investigate and spotlight specific occurrences, in the novel, where characteristics of Feminist Criticism can be found or applied. I specificallyRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesantagonist), as, for example, in most detective fiction. Internal conflict, on the other hand, is confined to the protagonist. In this case, the opposition is between two or more elements within the protagonist’s own character, as in Joseph Conrad’s â€Å"Heart of D arkness†, when Kurtz struggles (and fails) to subdue the savage instincts concealed beneath his civilized English veneer. Most plots, it should be noted, contain more than one conflict. In some cases, however, these multiple conflicts are presented