The Heart Of Darkness, By Joseph Conrad

"Men! The only animal in the world to fear" (Lawrence). This is stated by D.H. Lawrence in reference to the fact that humans only need to fear themselves. Throughout history it is clear that the actions and behaviors of humans exemplify animals rather than civilized people. As well as in the novel, The Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad displays to the readers exactly how easy it is for man to leave his morals, reasons, and sense of restraint when removed from societal norms of civilization. There are numerous themes which can be analyzed in Conrad's novel, when placed in such an environment. In Conrad's novel, The Heart of Darkness, he uses the literary elements of setting, symbolism, and characterization to illustrate the theme that when humans

At the beginning of the novel, Marlow uses the word 'gloom' to describe the shadowy land (Conrad). The further into the Congo that Marlow goes, the closer to Kurtz that he gets, the change in his thought process becomes evident. The Congo was a place of darkness, evil, and horror; it was a nightmare to the Natives. When submerged in such an environment, Marlow's sense of right and wrong became skewed. He was blinded of the truth of reality and lost contact with his conscience. "Those heads on the stakes, if their heads had not been turned to the house" (Conrad 52). Just as seen at Kurtz's hut, the decor surrounding was the heads of rebel Natives on sticks. The severed heads represent that Kurtz had left behind civilized moral code and his behavior is one of a savage animal. Also, there is the fact that the heads were facing towards the hut itself and not outward. This can be inferred that it is not due to be as a caveat to savages that wish to rebel, but as a pleasure and pride in what he had done. This shows how he had been defiled by being away from civilization for so long, he lost his sense of

A prime example is the painting Marlow sees. The painting is of a blind folded woman carrying a lighted torch in the dark sombre (Conrad). From this, it is known that the woman is a symbol for the Europeans and they are blinded of the truth and with their customs and values, the torch, they attempt to civilize the Natives. But notice how the woman isn't blind she is blind folded, that is a refusing to see not inability. "And this also, has been one of the dark places of the earth." (Conrad 3). Here is the symbol of darkness, evident throughout the novel, representing the corruption of human nature and the inherent evil in humanity. What he is saying in this quote is in reference to England. This is because the Congo was obviously a dark place full of savages and brutality of them. However, England was dark in the same aspect because they were savages at heart, just more culturally civilized. The Europeans trying to civilize the Natives were sophisticated savages, no better then the uneducated