Heart of Darkness: Symbolism

A detailed Summary of Heart of Darkness: Symbolism

Whether a reader connects to the symbolism of Heart Of Darkness or is merely reading it for fun, one cannot go away from this story without a lingering feeling of uneasiness. Joseph Conrad writes what seems to be a simple story about a man in search of an ivory hunter; one must look deeper into the jungle which makes up the core of Heart Of Darkness , where Conrad hides the meanings and symbolisms that shape this story.

Conrad has been accused of being a racist because of the way he portrays the natives in this story. It is a controversy that continues even today. It can be argued that because of the way he depicts the natives, they cannot be an essential part of Heart of Darkness. However, if one reads between the lines it is obvious the story would not be shaped the way it was if the natives were not involved. The natives in a sense, create Kurtz. They are his "people" and his followers:

Suddenly round the corner of the house a group of men appeared, as though they had come up from the ground. They waded waist-deep in the grass in a compact body bearing an improvised stretcher in their midst. Instantly in the emptiness of the landscape a cry arose whose shrillness pierced the still air...And is if by enchantment streams of hum

The first time Marlow meets Kurtz is in this scene. It shows Kurtz not only depends on the natives for physical support but also for protection. Conrad's portrayal of the natives as "human beings with wild glances and savage movements" is ironic because Conrad does not think they have the right to be put on the same level as the white man even though Kurtz could not exist without them. The natives are Kurtz's followers and worship him like a god and yet they are seen as only a part of the jungle that is "dark" and "undiscovered".

There are many other components that make up Heart Of Darkness other than the natives. One could write a book on this novel and still not have grasped everything Conrad intended to hint at in the jungle he created. Every word means something in this story. Every syllable is important in understanding what Conrad was trying to say in Heart Of Darkness: Do not let the darkness suck you in because you will never come out again.

The one distinguishable native in Heart Of Darkness is the helmsman. Although, he is not important enough to be given a name, he is given a title which is a step above his comrades. He is "an athletic black belonging to some coast tribe...He sported a pair of brass earrings, wore a blue cloth wrapper from the waist to the ankle, and thought all the world of himself. He was the most unstable kind of fool I had ever seen." (45) Marlow's first impression of his helmsman is not any kinder than his opinions of the other natives he has come in contact with thus far. He belonged to "some coast tribe". Marlow did not care enough to find out the name of his tribe or anything else about him; he simply saw him as another creature. Marlow's reaction to his helmsman is ironic because like Kurtz's natives, he needs his helmsman in order to continue his mission. The helmsman is also the one who dies while they are journeying up the river. He dies be

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Heart Darkness, Station Congo, Darkness Conrad, Joseph Conrad, heart darkness, , wild glances savage, glances savage movements, describes natives, glances savage, natives human, acute angles, savage movements, wild glances,

Approximate Word count = 1278
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English