The Light in the Darkness
Author James Conrad, in his short story "Heart of Darkness," uses light in an attempt to symbolize the civilization of the European world and those things which, by appearances, are generally accepted as "good." To emphasize the acceptability of good or light, it is often contrasted to the symbolization of darkness, which Conrad shows as uncivilized, savage or bad. Conrad uses the character's reactions to light, bright or otherwise colorful things and events to encourage the reader to concur that these symbols represent the civilization he's left in Europe and the goodness of that civilization. The use of light as good is seen early in the story when the narrator comments on the setting sun. He says the "glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men" (345). The narrator is comparing the light to life and the darkness to the gloom and death that follows. As Marlow begins recounting his arduous trip through the Congo, he reflects upon times past - other rivers that, once uncivilized and dark, are now teeming with civilization and brightness. He states, "Light cam
Conrad later compares Marlow's boyhood idealism of adventure and spirit with light. He does this as Marlow is reminiscing about his childhood and says "[I would] lose myself in all the glories of exploration" (348). No longer a boy, Marlow discovers "a white patch for a boy to dream gloriously over""(348) has now been charted on the map and becomes "a place of darkness" (348). Conrad effectively symbolizes youthful innocence and adventurous spirit with lightness through this comparison of uncharted and charted maps. As Marlow seeks to take refuge from the heat in the shaded area at the Company's station, Conrad shows again the symbol of light as representing civilization. This time it is "a bit of white worsted" (356) tied about the neck of one of the dying criminals. The reader is left to think that the criminal may be coveting the civilization he assisted to create in the Congo, and thus giving his life to the cause, by wearing this representative whiteness. One of the most obvious representations of light as civilization and goodness is seen when Marlow first meets the Company's chief accountant. This man's clothes are immaculately clean and white. Marlow respects and admires him. The respect Marlow feels for the accountant is not one of respecting the
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Approximate Word count = 859
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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