- Critically explain the significance of one symbol from Heart of Darkness to the novella.
- Trace Marlow's character development in Heart of Darkness.
- What is the theme of Heart of Darkness?
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Heart of Darkness is dense with symbols. Every page contains symbolism that emphasizes the theme repeatedly. “When the stout man with moustaches came tearing down to the river, a tin pail in his hand… dipped about a quart of water and tore back. I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail” (34).
The tin pail symbolizes the effort and the uselessness of that effort the Europeans are putting to civilize the Congo. The pail has a hole in the bottom, and by the time the man fills it up with water and runs to the flaming shed, the pail is empty. The amount of effort the man puts into putting out the flame is of no use, he is wasting his energy and just prolonging the inevitable.
The Europeans have colonized the Congo, trying to harvest the vast amount of ivory, the camps set up are very stagnant, and have not been producing the amount of ivory expected. The fire represents the Congo engulfing the camps and the Europeans are vigorously trying to put it out with a damaged, broken pale. The futility of their attempt leaves the reader in awe of the Congo and its might. The man with the moustaches is described as stout, it portrays that he is well fed and nourished. The Europeans are also portrayed through the man in the moustaches, they are well nourished with technology, that is guns, steamboats, and railway, but their technology crumbles when put side by side with nature.
Joseph Conrad uses these symbols to make the reader understand the attempt the Belgians put into colonizing the Congo, but the Congo being the heart of Darkness could not be navigated or conquered.
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a novella that attacks and questions a person’s belief system. The theme of the book is evil; every man is capable of acquiring evil but every man is also capable of restraining evil.
To further understand the theme, Marlow and Kurtz have to be well analyzed. Kurtz and Marlow are undeniably noble characters, and they possess qualities that are comparable to other great characters from earlier myths and stories. What contrasts these two characters are their personas; one character being good and one evil. In the novella, Kurtz is glorified and is given a god-like status. On the other hand, Marlow is given the status of a hero. He is not given a god-like status but he is character that possesses the ability to be dynamic, and to be dynamic is one of the hardest things in life. People do not accept changes and people are afraid to learn the truth because when a belief is proven wrong, it shakes up a person’s paradigm and it collapses it. In order to refrain from knowing the truth, we create our own realities to keep us secure, i.e. television, Internet, video games, and money. Marlow explains, “Principles won’t do. Acquisitions, clothes, pretty rags – rags that would fly off at the first good shake. No; you want a deliberate belief.” (54). People fill themselves with work and material things to disregard the truth.
The result of not knowing the truth is Kurtz. He excelled in everything; ivory hunting, navigating, communicating with the tribes and he even excelled in surviving in Africa. He acquired all the things that Marlow mentioned earlier that are not necessary in life.
Unlike Kurtz, when Marlow was at the edge of darkness, he did not embrace it. Transvaluation played a major rule on his decision to step back to enlightenment. His ability to view things in different perspectives separates him from Kurtz.
Throughout the entire novella, Kurtz is blinded by European greed. His hollowness also led to his corruption, very much like European corruption, “It echoed loudly within him because he was hollow at the core.” (79).
Evil is everywhere and everyone has a choice as to whether of not acquire evil. Heart of Darkness is giving us examples of what we would turn out to be if we choose the path of Kurtz or the path of Marlow. The realities that we have made are only temporary and one day, we will meet the truth. Heart of Darkness tells us what to expect when that truth comes out.
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