Darkness

The Battle Of Morality The Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a book with many hidden representations of humanity and power. On the surface is a framed story of a man telling his shipmates of his times in the Congo free state and the horrors he faced while there. But when you dig deeper you realize the story is about the corruption of man when exposed to power. The story shines a light on the trifles of the times as well as how man with total power become detached from every form of society…

he acts in presence of challenge and controversy which, in Conrad's novel The Heart of Darkness, is exactly where Marlow is on his journey in the Congo. In Conrad's novel, he uses the literary elements of character development, symbolism, and conflict to show the them that when people are surrounded by darkness, it can be strenuous for them to see the truth. The theme that when people are surrounded by darkness, it becomes hard for them to see the truth is seen through the literary element of…

In the novel Heart of Darkness Marlow and his journey prove as a guide in revealing the true intentions of European imperialism. As it becomes revealed along this journey that the men who work for the Company justify their treatment of the native Africans as a part of European imperialism. These men also mention that their treatment of the natives is a part of the idea of imperialism to “civilize” the “uncivilized”. During Kurtz’s entire stay in the Congo, he’s open about his actions/treatments…

Darkness the Vampire’s Double: Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla Darkness in Le Fanu's Carmilla serves as its own monster since it is a representation of negativity, mystery, and fear. Darkness like the vampire creates an unsettling sensation for the narrative because it allows the uncanny to manifest and generate feelings of uncertainty and terror. For the main protagonist Laura, the overwhelming experience of darkness places the character in a state of distress which creates problems for…

As much as the characters define the journey in Heart of Darkness, the journey definitely changes the characters. As Charlie Marlow adventures deeper into the Congo, the essence of his character and soul alter as the horror of the discoveries he makes shape him. Going into a region antithetical of their upbringing, the change in landscape and people cause a change in morals that draw the men towards the inability to discern right from wrong. Succumbing to the influence of greed and power, the…

Racism is a difficult trait to define, and to recognize. It is often hard to decipher what is actually racist, and what just comes across as such. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is the story of one man’s account of being an ivory transporter, down the Congo River. During the voyage, there are many encounters with African Natives, and many of those encounters reflect negatively on the natives. The white men who dominate the storyline are demeaning towards the natives, and paint them as being…

Published in 1906, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is the story of one man’s journey into a landscape of physical and psychological darkness. Inspired by an actual trip the author made to the Belgian Congo in 1890, Charlie Marlow is the main character in this novella, and he embarks on a journey through the heart of the African jungle with the intention of enlightening the “savages” who live there, but later his quest darkens Marlow’s own heart much more than it enlightens the “savages” that…

Paul Bogard strongly believes that natural darkness should be preserved. In order to prove the need for natural darkness, Bogard divides his argument into three main topics, saying that natural darkness is beneficial to humans, essential to humans, and essential to ecosystems. According to Bogard, natural darkness can be a positive help to humans. One of the ways it can accomplish this is by giving enjoyment to onlookers. To supplant this, Bogard gives a personal example of how he enjoyed…

When Marlow is talking about Kurtz’s control over the natives, he is sympathetic towards the natives about Kurtz’s ruthless punishments. Although starvation was the leading punishment to the natives, in an article called “NTDs in the Heart of Darkness: The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Unknown Burden of Neglected Tropical Disease”, it discusses the diseases that the natives received in the neglection of colonialism. “Beyond sleeping sickness, the decades of conflict and breakdowns in health…

Heart of Darkness is a story about a captain’s journey through the jungles of Congo. Joseph Conrad based this subtly introspective tale on his own travels as a steamboat captain in the same locations in Africa. The physical danger and fear he experienced traveling through the Congo can be felt throughout the story and is represented by literal and metaphorical references to darkness. A concurrent theme of the story is the darkness of life and death, which is demonstrated through the narrator’s…