"...seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness" (Conrad, 72).
The last word in the book is darkness, and the word is also in the title. The word has been sprinkled throughout the text and is used to describe almost everything. Conrad obviously believes that darkness is evil, and symbolizes the evils of man kind.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Love
"Don't you understand I loved him- I loved him- I loved him" (Conrad, 71).
Earlier in the novel, Marlow said that he and Kurtz talked of love. Even now, as she talks, the room grows darker and darker. Conrad is symbolizing that love is also darkness.
Earlier in the novel, Marlow said that he and Kurtz talked of love. Even now, as she talks, the room grows darker and darker. Conrad is symbolizing that love is also darkness.
Kurtz
"The shade of the original Kurtz frequented the bedside of the hollow sham" (Conrad, 63).
This hints that Kurtz was never an innocent man, but always tainted by the evils of man kind. He also symbolizes the poisons of mankind, and has brought only darkness to everything around him.
This hints that Kurtz was never an innocent man, but always tainted by the evils of man kind. He also symbolizes the poisons of mankind, and has brought only darkness to everything around him.
Brown Current
"The brown current ran swiftly out of the heart of darkness" (Conrad, 62).
The heart of darkness is the forest in which this story took place. Even the river is brown, telling the reader that it has also been tainted by man kind. The entire story has been talking about how man kind ruins everything around it.
The heart of darkness is the forest in which this story took place. Even the river is brown, telling the reader that it has also been tainted by man kind. The entire story has been talking about how man kind ruins everything around it.
feathers
"...they shook towards the fierce river-demon a bunch of black feathers" (Conrad, 62).
At the beginning of Marlow's travel down the river it was only hinted that nature was turning dark. After his struggles with Kurtz, everything has an evil and corrupted feel to it. His expedition ruined everything it touched.
At the beginning of Marlow's travel down the river it was only hinted that nature was turning dark. After his struggles with Kurtz, everything has an evil and corrupted feel to it. His expedition ruined everything it touched.
Murky
"and the stretch of the river abreast of the clearing glittering in a still and dazzling splendor, with a murky and overshadowed bend above and below" (Conrad, 54).
The allusion to darkness forebodes that the immediate future may not be what it seems. Conrad is once again using darkness to poison its surroundings, and to spread almost as if it were a disease.
The allusion to darkness forebodes that the immediate future may not be what it seems. Conrad is once again using darkness to poison its surroundings, and to spread almost as if it were a disease.
Ivory
"Well, I had a small lot of Ivory" (Conrad, 51).
Ivory has been a symbol of power and destruction for centuries. Wherever ivory was harvested, destruction soon followed. This is a glimpse into Kurtz's true personality. He is just another man who craves power and riches, no matter what the cost.
Ivory has been a symbol of power and destruction for centuries. Wherever ivory was harvested, destruction soon followed. This is a glimpse into Kurtz's true personality. He is just another man who craves power and riches, no matter what the cost.
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