Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad

The AuthorThe Author

Joseph ConradJoseph ConradBorn in 1857 in PolandBorn in 1857 in PolandBoth parents were dead Both parents were dead by his 12by his 12thth birthday birthdaySpent youth as a Spent youth as a merchant seamanmerchant seaman1898 and 1899 wrote 1898 and 1899 wrote Heart of DarknessHeart of DarknessThis was after his This was after his journey into the Congojourney into the Congo

ThemesThemesIs man a free agent or is he subject Is man a free agent or is he subject to forces beyond his control?to forces beyond his control?

According to According to Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness, man , man cannot control his own destiny. cannot control his own destiny. Fate and the surrounding environment Fate and the surrounding environment dominate and change a person. dominate and change a person. This is exemplified by the “darkening” This is exemplified by the “darkening” of Marlow’s thoughts as he spends of Marlow’s thoughts as he spends more time away from civilization. more time away from civilization. He considers killing Kurtz at one point He considers killing Kurtz at one point and ends up despising “civilized” and ends up despising “civilized” people by the end of the book. people by the end of the book. He is forever changed by his He is forever changed by his experiences.experiences.

ThemesThemes

Every soul has its dark truth Every soul has its dark truth and its light truth.and its light truth.

ThemesThemes

Life Inevitably Life Inevitably finds out who finds out who you truly are you truly are by placing by placing one in a one in a situation situation which most which most severely tests severely tests values.values.

Marlow is “placed” Marlow is “placed” and “tested” by his and “tested” by his journey in the Congo. journey in the Congo.

He finds himself He finds himself during the expedition during the expedition and learns that he is and learns that he is not a truly “good” not a truly “good” person. person.

The environment The environment causes Marlow to causes Marlow to compromise his compromise his values.values.

ThemesThemes

When society’s restraints are When society’s restraints are removed, and one is forced to removed, and one is forced to rely upon one’s own emotional rely upon one’s own emotional and spiritual resources, a and spiritual resources, a person often proven to be person often proven to be “hollow at the core.”“hollow at the core.”

ThemesThemes

The greatest sin that a man can The greatest sin that a man can commit is inhumanity to man.commit is inhumanity to man.

The Africans were treated as a The Africans were treated as a subservient race of people by the subservient race of people by the British. British.

They were actually referred to as a They were actually referred to as a subspecies of the white man. subspecies of the white man.

They were brutalized and forced into They were brutalized and forced into slavery for many years.slavery for many years.

ThemesThemes

Is there anything in which to Is there anything in which to believe?believe?

According to the story in According to the story in Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness, , the only thing that can be believed is that the only thing that can be believed is that people are capable of any atrocity. people are capable of any atrocity.

Their religious beliefs and basic “goodness” Their religious beliefs and basic “goodness” are just a by-product of society’s rules and are just a by-product of society’s rules and laws that have conditioned them. laws that have conditioned them.

When they are removed, as in Marlow’s When they are removed, as in Marlow’s case, so are any beliefs that one might have.case, so are any beliefs that one might have.

Put a man into isolation and his Put a man into isolation and his true nature will be revealed.true nature will be revealed.

SymbolsSymbols

GrassGrassGrass covers up men’s mistakes Grass covers up men’s mistakes and accomplishments and and accomplishments and enhances the idea that no matter enhances the idea that no matter how great or good or evil a man’s how great or good or evil a man’s deeds are they are transitory.deeds are they are transitory.

SymbolsSymbols

IvoryIvorySymbolizes the Symbolizes the sick and putrid sick and putrid reason that the reason that the white man has white man has lost all lost all trappings of trappings of civilizationcivilization..

SymbolsSymbols

Kurtz’ PaintingKurtz’ PaintingThe painting of the blindfolded woman The painting of the blindfolded woman holding the torch out into the darkness holding the torch out into the darkness could represent one of two things:could represent one of two things:• Kurtz’s intended and the truth about the Kurtz’s intended and the truth about the

darknessdarkness• Or Europeans stumbling into AfricaOr Europeans stumbling into Africa• Or, in our interpretation, it could represent Or, in our interpretation, it could represent

man’s blindness to himselfman’s blindness to himself

SymbolsSymbols

JungleJungleThe jungle represents two thingsThe jungle represents two things

Truth and RealityTruth and Reality

The psyche and the twisted, The psyche and the twisted, torturous, and tangled route a torturous, and tangled route a man must take for self-man must take for self-enlightenment.enlightenment.

SymbolsSymbols

Pairings of twinsPairings of twinsThrough juxtaposition and a Through juxtaposition and a process of misdirection, Conrad process of misdirection, Conrad attempts to convey subtle attempts to convey subtle meanings.meanings.

SymbolsSymbolsWhitenessWhiteness

In the map when Marlow was being In the map when Marlow was being “interviewed” by the company, the part “interviewed” by the company, the part he was going to was blank and white. he was going to was blank and white. He thought this meant it was full of He thought this meant it was full of something and secret.something and secret.However, it was only filled with However, it was only filled with Darkness. Darkness. White means the opposite, and White means the opposite, and Darkness may be the real, the pure Darkness may be the real, the pure part.part.

SymbolSymbol

DARKNESSDARKNESSis present is present throughout the throughout the novel as a symbol novel as a symbol of of desolationdesolation and and isolationisolation..

It is present in the It is present in the beginning of the beginning of the book in describing book in describing the estuary the the estuary the boat sits in. boat sits in. Marlow tells his Marlow tells his story in darkness. story in darkness. The lady in the The lady in the painting holds a painting holds a light in the light in the darkness.darkness.

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

DictionDictionThe use of words in The use of words in written or oral written or oral discoursediscourse

Conrad uses Marlow Conrad uses Marlow as a means of both. as a means of both.

Conrad writes as Conrad writes as Marlow and makes Marlow and makes the reader feel as if the reader feel as if the story is being the story is being told instead of read.told instead of read.

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

Point of ViewPoint of ViewConrad is a master of using Marlow’s Conrad is a master of using Marlow’s point of view as storyteller to lead the point of view as storyteller to lead the reader down the dark journey into his reader down the dark journey into his soul.soul.Conrad uses the point of view to confuse Conrad uses the point of view to confuse the reader and to make one pay the reader and to make one pay attention to the story.attention to the story.By using Marlow’s point of view, Conrad By using Marlow’s point of view, Conrad also shows the psychological changes also shows the psychological changes that take place during the expedition.that take place during the expedition.

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

Pathos-Pathos-The quality in The quality in literature which literature which stimulates pity, stimulates pity, tenderness, or tenderness, or sorrow in the sorrow in the reader or viewer ; reader or viewer ; implies helpless implies helpless and unmerited and unmerited suffering.suffering.

In In Heart of Heart of DarknessDarkness, the , the treatment of the treatment of the blacks by the blacks by the British is discussed.British is discussed.

They are used for They are used for slave labor and are slave labor and are fed little, and when fed little, and when they cannot work they cannot work anymore they crawl anymore they crawl off and die.off and die.

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

MotifMotifA simple element which reoccursA simple element which reoccurs

In In Heart of Darkness,Heart of Darkness, there are several there are several motifs.motifs.• The baseness (wicked, immoral, sordid, corrupt) The baseness (wicked, immoral, sordid, corrupt)

of the Englishof the English• How the English are the true “savages”How the English are the true “savages”• Constant travelConstant travel• Darkness and LightDarkness and Light• SearchingSearching

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

PrimitivismPrimitivismThe doctrine that primitive man, The doctrine that primitive man, because he has remained closer to because he has remained closer to Nature and has been less subject to Nature and has been less subject to the corrupt influences of society, is the corrupt influences of society, is nobler and more nearly perfect than nobler and more nearly perfect than civilized mancivilized man

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

PersonificationPersonificationConrad often referred to the Conrad often referred to the Jungle on either side of the river Jungle on either side of the river as a beast that breathed and as a beast that breathed and waited.waited.

Narrative TechniquesNarrative TechniquesConrad uses Marlow as a master of Conrad uses Marlow as a master of indirection. indirection.

Much is left out of the story on Much is left out of the story on purpose so that the reader must purpose so that the reader must decide for himself what has occurred. decide for himself what has occurred.

The timeline is also distorted by this The timeline is also distorted by this misdirection. misdirection.

Future and past become intertwined, Future and past become intertwined, and the trip seems to take years and the trip seems to take years instead of months.instead of months.

Narrative TechniquesNarrative Techniques

ForeshadowingForeshadowingPerhaps the best example of this is when Perhaps the best example of this is when Marlow is examined by the Doctor, who Marlow is examined by the Doctor, who alludes to the “changes in individuals” alludes to the “changes in individuals” who have been out in the Congo.who have been out in the Congo.After Marlow visited his aunt he also had After Marlow visited his aunt he also had “a startled pause” at going on to Africa. “a startled pause” at going on to Africa. He was very wary of this because, being He was very wary of this because, being a seaman, he left his temporary “land” a seaman, he left his temporary “land” home all the time.home all the time.