Heart of Darkness The contrast between light and dark
Heart of Darkness-The contrast between light and darkIn many literary works the author uses contrast to display the difference between good and evil. Most often this contrast is between light and dark images. Dark representing evil and light representing good. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the author uses many different medians to display the contrast between good and evil. The different settings display the changing developments of the novel. From the civilized and what appears to be good Thames River to the uncivilized and seemingly evil Belgian Congo. Many different images in the novel elaborate on the author’s view on the dark evils of imperialism and colonialism.
In the beginning of the novel, Heart of Darkness, the story takes place outside of London, England, on thee Thames River. This is pictured to be a peaceful and civilized place. ‘The sky, without a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light” (Conrad p16), further introduces the civilized Thames to be bright, pure, and good. As Marlow’s journey continues, he later discovers the darkness, or evil, that is represented by the mysterious and unknown dangers of the jungle environment. While Marlow is in the beginning of his journey throughout the Belgian Congo, his route, the river, is observed as “Flames glided in the river…pursuing, overtaking” (Conrad p20). The river is displayed as a river of fire, similar to the rivers of fire in the depths of hell. Man views hell as being synonymous with evil, as does Conrad. He uses this as a device to foreshadow the upcoming events in which the Marlow is about to endure. As the story moves deeper into the jungle, the obscurity and unknown of the jungle begin to set in. “The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of over-shadowed distances.” The darkness of the over-shadowed distances foreshadows the upcoming events in the novel. While the characters proceed up the river the certainty of their future becomes bleaker. Furthermore, as Kurtz is taking his last breaths and on the brink of death, reference to the river is made once again “The brown current ran swiftly out of the heart of darkness” (Conrad p109). The dark color of brown is used to express the true demise of an evil man. The brown river flowing outward also displays the symbol of the evil leaving Kurtz’ body. When Marlow returns to Europe, it is depicted again as a bright and good setting “like three luminous and bedraped columns. The bent gilt legs and backs of the furniture shone in indistinct curves” (Conrad p118). This continued reference to light is made to symbolize to the reader the beauty and absence of evil.
As the story unfolds the news that the previous Captain’s death is revealed, he was murdered by natives because of a squabble about “two black hens” (Conrad p23). Other than the fact that he was killed over “two black hens” (Conrad p23) there...
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