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... is supernatural the way that Kurtz is treated like a divine creator, his powers are infinite and he grotesquely abuses them. Kurtz had been so devoured by the darkness within himself that this led him to irrational violence. Those who displeased Kurtz would have to confront his violent wrath. The remains of these unfortunates are viewed by the rest of the cult, upon the stakes that pierce through the remains of their withered skulls. Marlow, somehow, survives his confrontation with the darkness in the Congo and conquers his fears.
He is then able to return back to the light setting of civilization. The setting would not be such a significant factor of the novel if it weren't combined with the symbolic images located within the setting. Nearly every object of this dense book contains a deeper meaning, which in some way can be associated with the theme of light and darkness. The river is the first of these symbols to appear in the story. From the very beginning of the novel there is comparison of the two rivers which act as vessels to the inner core of the darkness. The first river is the Thames which brings life to Europe.
The second river is the Congo River, which represents the ill of the uncivilized. Right away as the reader is able to visualize both settings of each river, they are able to decipher Conrad's metaphor of civilization, representing goodness and light and the uncivilized representing evil and darkness. As the crew onboard the Nellie wait for the turn of the tide, there are other boats floating on top of the river with their lights gleaming out over the still water. In the Congo there are no lights, only the fear of being eaten by the cannibals which hide so delicately camouflaged in the bush.
Neither river is flowing during the time of the course of the story. This represents a time lapse that occurred while Marlow was going back into his mind and even farther within himself to remember the darkness, which he encountered. Perhaps the most graphic symbolic image using the river metaphor is in the ending of the book, " The brown current (that) ran swiftly out of the heart of the darkness... " (Conrad 129). It is here that Conrad retreats from the intensity of the novel once again upon the river of the Congo whose color is as murky and mysterious as the secrets which it keeps. Elaine Ward thought that this quote was: Perhaps the ultimate description of the savagery and un civilization of the Congo as Marlow and Kurtz try to quickly escape the savagery and death of the Congo.
With their escape and these words comes the title of the book, Heart of Darkness (Ward, webpage 1) The symbolic image of the reader was so significant and profound that it does become the title of the novel. It is this title, Heart of Darkness, which offers a first impression to the reader that suggest the novel contains deeper interpretations beyond their literal meanings. The novel is densely composed with much symbolism. The title is just one example of a piece of symbolism, which contains many different meanings: "The 'heart of darkness's even both as an image of the interior workings of the mind of a man, which are dark and foreign to all observers. The literal journey into the jungle is a metaphor, or a symbol, for the journey into the uncharted human soul.
On another level, the voyage into the wilderness can be read as a voyage back to Eden, or to the very beginning of the world. On still another level, the actual trip into and then out of the African continent can be seen as metaphor for sin and redemption. (Telegen 98) Here the several different meanings of the novel are clearly stated and supported by different events which take place during the journey. The story itself is a symbol or a metaphorical journey into the darkness of the human heart. As Marlow journey's down the river into the heart of the Congo, he is also on a journey into the depths of heart and discovers things such as evil and darkness which he never knew existed. The main character, Marlow, is a symbol for the author, Joseph Conrad who also during his life went on a voyage into the Congo and had nearly an identical experience to that of Marlow. The objects which appear in the novel are similar in content, most have multiple, contrary meanings.
Ivory is one symbol which is found in the heart of the Congo, or in the heart of Marlow. This image has a role which is just as superior as the river. Ivory is an aspect of the novel which is very complex as it contains many different meanings and can be interpreted in many different ways. It holds a different meaning depending on whether or not it is in a relationship with another aspect of the novel, such as that with the white men.
The first way to examine this symbol is by taking into deliberation its appearance and its derivation. Ivory is a pearl white color. Generally, white represents light, goodness, and purity. Before man placed a value over this object all these qualities were true. Ivory comes from the tusks of male elephants which are large, powerful, and wild creatures, giving ivory a sense of life. These elephants can be found in the heart of Africa were the natural way thrives and civilization has not yet destroyed and industrialized.
This is a dark place because it is so mysterious and unknown. Then the white men came from Europe with greed in their hearts and souls to colonized and depleted Africa of its natural beauty and assets. The life of a man or animal should be held much higher than of a non-living object. When the greed of the white men took over, the value of ivory became equal with that of any native or animal.
In Heart of Darkness the pure, white ivory represents the greed, darkness, and evil in the white man's soul. It is in this aspect that the images of light and dark contrast with not only each other but also themselves as white is no longer a representation of light. Conrad's first description of the power of the ivory clearly depicts the profound effect the jewel has over the white men: Everything else in the station was in a muddle-heads, things, and buildings. Strings of dusty niggers with splay feet arrived and departed; a stream of manufactured goods, rubbishy cottons, beads, and brass wire set into the depths of the dar...
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Research essay sample on Heart Of Darkness White Men
