Control is the ability to keep one’s self from indulging in mindless behavior. Control is thought to be inalienable and as a result is taken for granted; yet it could so easily be the ultimate downfall of mankind if ever taken away. Control is the only barrier preventing humankind from converting back to their primordial ways. In T.S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men” the use of juxtaposition and the archetypal idea of light versus darkness enhances aspects of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Specifically, these devices reveal the lack of control Kurtz has and contribute to the universal truth of an inner savage within all humankind. By juxtaposing his words against each other in “The Hollow Man,” Eliot is able to emphasize how two opposites cannot …show more content…
Opposites are made to balance each other, and in order for one to exist the other must as well. Eliot uses three stanzas to list out multiple opposites that coexist in nature, and the juxtaposition of these contradicting ideas evince the point stating: two opposites must exist simultaneously because without one the other would not be able to exist. Eliot states that in order to have an “act” there must be a “motion,” and that there must be a “conception” in order to produce a “creation.” The naming of examples for the three stanzas conveys Eliot’s gist of how important it is to have balance in life. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness the idea of balance is showcased through Kurtz who is originally typify as civil, but ends up turning into his more primitive self. Through this idea, Kurtz proves that in order for him to be civil he must also have the savage side to him, further emphasizing the concept Eliot stressed in his …show more content…
Light produced by stars takes thousands of years to reach the earth, and by the time it can be seen it has often already extinguished. The light then only has a small matter of time before it is taken over by the darkness surrounding it. Light is able to shine through the darkness, but eventually it either runs out or becomes so small that the darkness is able to take over. Similarly to the stars light within the darkness of the universe, Kurtz’s humane side eventually becomes so diminished that it is taken over by his primordial side, equating him back to the natives her attempted to civilize. This archetypal idea that light will eventually be taken over by the darkness surrounding it portrays how natural it was for Kurtz’s civil side to cave into his inner savage nature, and highlights the universal truth of primitive nature lurking within