Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

Use of Symbolism in Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad played a major role in the development of the twentieth-century novel. Many devices that Conrad applied for the first time to his novels gained wide usage in the literary period he helped to create. Perhaps the most effective of his pioneering techniques was his application of symbolism in his novels. In Heart of Darkness, Conrads symbolism plays a dominant role in the advancement of themes in the novel. These themes are revealed not through plot, but instead through the symbolic characters and elements present in the narrative. Joseph Conrads use of symbolism in his portrayal of the Africans, the Company, and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness illustrates the value of had work†¦show more content†¦Throughout the novel Africans are mistreated by Europeans, who regarded them as wild beasts in need of education. Marlow, however, is able to see the Africans as humans in a way the other Europeans cannot. He views their hard work and self-denial as evidence of inner goodness that many of his fellow Europeans lack. Certainly, the Africans were hardworking. Forced to do the bidding of their invaders, the native peoples perform back-breaking labor for comically low wages; [The Company] had given them every week three pieces of brass wire each about nine inches long, (Conrad 42). The Africans‚ tasks included carrying supplies from the Companys Outer Station to its Middle Station over a 200-mile overland route. Day after day with the stamp and shuffle of sixty pair of bare feet behind me, each pair under a 60-lb. load, (Conrad 23) is how Marlow describes the caravan. Marlow also expresses admiration of the self-restraint of the Africans. The dignity with which the Africans carry themselves, even in their state of servitude, gave Marlow a sense of wonder. When traveling upriver towards the inner station in a company of 5 Europeans and 30 Cannibalistic Africans, the Europeans dined onShow MoreRelated Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay789 Words   |  4 Pages Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Symbolism has long been a tool of the storyteller, finding its origins in the folklore of our earliest civilizations. In more recent years, however, symbolism has taken on a new role, forming the skeleton upon which the storyteller builds the tales of his or hers thoughts and adventures. Knowing the power of this element, Joseph Conrad uses symbols to help the reader explore dark interiors of men. The symbolsRead MoreEssay Symbolism In Heart Of Darkness1077 Words   |  5 Pages Submitting to Symbolism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Every great author posses the ability to create a novel deeply woven in symbolism and subliminal messages. Underneath the literal journey encountered in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness lies a tale saturated with subtle, yet, significant imagery that brings forth the true meaning of the novella. Throughout Heart of Darkness Conrad uses a plethora of simple colors, objects, and places to convey multifaceted images and ideas. His fine executionRead MoreImagery, Symbolism and Motif in Heart of Darkness1053 Words   |  5 PagesIn this extract taken from the Novella, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad explores many elements. Conrad uses a framing narrative; Marlow’s narrative is framed by another narrative, in which the reader listens to Marlow’s story told through one of those listening. The narrator remains unnamed as do the other listeners. The narration is told in the first-person plural, letting the reader know what each of the four list eners are thinking and feeling. It could be interpreted that the anonymity of theRead MoreContradicting Symbolism in Joseph Conrads quot;Heart of Darknessquot;915 Words   |  4 Pagestechniques throughout his story Heart of Darkness. One predominant method of his storytelling is the use of contrasting sensory imagery between black and white and altering the symbolism the colors entail. This theme is clearly prevalent when we read of Marlows childhood dreams and when comparing and contrasting the Africans, the Europeans, and the corruption of the ivory trade. Generally, Africa and Africans are described in terms of blackness, symbolic of darkness, evil, and corruption. On theRead More Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness Essay1268 Words   |  6 PagesLight vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness The realism movement of the late nineteenth century produced works in literature that were marked by reduced sentimentality and increased objectivity. The goal was to let details tell the story, and remove noticeable bias of the author through scientific and detailed descriptions. While this form of storytelling undoubtedly is most accurate, it creates difficulties for authors to incorporate their themes into the story. This resulted in an increaseRead MoreAnalysis Of Joseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1164 Words   |  5 PagesAs Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness eludes to the inverse interpretation of colors as a motif, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now not only mimics but also portrays through the Vietnam War, the contrasting misguided crusades of enlightenment that the supreme race forces upon savages. The reversed meanings amongst the colors and entangled description in Heart of Darkness shows how backwards civilization is through the need to enlighten or civilize the natives is flamboyantly flaunted in both theRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pagesauthored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture is prevalent in both Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Achebe s Things Fall Apart both writers use styles, symbols, and languageRead MoreHeart Of Darkness : Primitivism Vs Civilization1286 Words   |  6 PagesHeart Of Darkness: Primitivism VS Civilization; as seen by Joesph Conrad 　　As a piece of post-colonialism text, Joesph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness provides an insight on the difference between primitivism and civilization, as seen by the author. Three main symbols help solidify the book’s point that the difference between civilization and primitivism isn’t just black and white, and that the â€Å"gray area† exists within ourselves. These symbols being the comparison of Brussels to â€Å"whited sepulchers†,Read MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad And The Portrayal Of Women1679 Words   |  7 PagesLucia Zhu Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and the Portrayal of Women Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness is an adventure tale about the narrator’s journey through the mysterious Congo River. Marlow, the narrator, becomes a sea captain as he travels the world in a steamboat. His journey starts from the Thames River in England to deep in the Congo River of Africa. Marlow’s mission is to locate and retrieve Europe’s best agent–Mr. Kurtz. As the search for Kurtz proves to be both horrifyingRead More The Style, Technique, and Structure of Conrads Heart of Darkness2805 Words   |  12 PagesStructure of Heart of Darkness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is proof that a novel does not have to be long to have literary merit. Heart of Darkness is quite short, yet intriguing, due to the content of the novel. Much like Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Heart of Darkness overwhelms the reader by the power of the story so that one will never feel quite satisfied with their attempts to intellectualize the experience (Adelman 8).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Heart of Darkness was written Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Symbolism has long been a tool of the storyteller, finding its origins in the folklore of our earliest civilizations. In more recent years, however, symbolism has taken on a new role, forming the skeleton upon which the storyteller builds the tales of his or hers thoughts and adventures. Knowing the power of this element, Joseph Conrad uses symbols to help the reader explore dark interiors of men. The symbols become a vehicle that carry the audience from stop to stop, the ride becoming an evaluation of the darkness contained inside the hearts of mankind. Through the use of Dark Africa as an overpowering symbol, Conrads Heart of†¦show more content†¦Marlow and Kurtz could be considered as two conditions of human nature, Kurtz representing what man becomes when left to his own intrinsic devices to be powerful, and Marlow being the untainted civilized soul who, as a leader, has not been drawn to savagery. Conrad moves on to create the image of Kurtz for the readers, and the well-anticipated meeting with Marlow. As Marlow is inquiring about Kurtz, he is informed that He is a very remarkable man(Conrad, 84), and in charge of an interior trading post. Then, the man, as if calming Marlows anxiousness, states In the interior you will no doubt meet Mr. Kurtz (Conrad, 84). According to the man, Kurtz and his fleet send in more Ivory than all the other posts combined. Obviously, Kurtz is very influential and the posts down the river depend on his business. Marlow first encounters Kurtz when he delivers a speech to the natives. It is here that we must understand the true strength and power that Kurtzs society derives from him. As he speaks, the natives surround him and listen with complete focus. Kurtz had the power to transform the savage natives into an obedient crowd. In order to keep the faith of the natives, Kurtz would hold ceremonies in which men were beatenShow MoreRelated Symbols and Symbolism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay1488 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Symbolism in Heart of Darkness       Joseph Conrad played a major role in the development of the twentieth-century novel.   Many devices that Conrad applied for the first time to his novels gained wide usage in the literary period he helped to create.   Perhaps the most effective of his pioneering techniques was his application of symbolism in his novels.   In Heart of Darkness, Conrads symbolism plays a dominant role in the advancement of themes in the novel.   These themes are revealedRead MoreEssay Symbolism In Heart Of Darkness1077 Words   |  5 Pages Submitting to Symbolism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Every great author posses the ability to create a novel deeply woven in symbolism and subliminal messages. Underneath the literal journey encountered in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness lies a tale saturated with subtle, yet, significant imagery that brings forth the true meaning of the novella. Throughout Heart of Darkness Conrad uses a plethora of simple colors, objects, and places to convey multifaceted images and ideas. His fine executionRead MoreImagery, Symbolism and Motif in Heart of Darkness1053 Words   |  5 PagesIn this extract taken from the Novella, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad explores many elements. Conrad uses a framing narrative; Marlow’s narrative is framed by another narrative, in which the reader listens to Marlow’s story told through one of those listening. The narrator remains unnamed as do the other listeners. The narration is told in the first-person plural, letting the reader know what each of the four list eners are thinking and feeling. It could be interpreted that the anonymity of theRead MoreContradicting Symbolism in Joseph Conrads quot;Heart of Darknessquot;915 Words   |  4 Pagestechniques throughout his story Heart of Darkness. One predominant method of his storytelling is the use of contrasting sensory imagery between black and white and altering the symbolism the colors entail. This theme is clearly prevalent when we read of Marlows childhood dreams and when comparing and contrasting the Africans, the Europeans, and the corruption of the ivory trade. Generally, Africa and Africans are described in terms of blackness, symbolic of darkness, evil, and corruption. On theRead More Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness Essay1268 Words   |  6 PagesLight vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness The realism movement of the late nineteenth century produced works in literature that were marked by reduced sentimentality and increased objectivity. The goal was to let details tell the story, and remove noticeable bias of the author through scientific and detailed descriptions. While this form of storytelling undoubtedly is most accurate, it creates difficulties for authors to incorporate their themes into the story. This resulted in an increaseRead MoreAnalysis Of Joseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1164 Words   |  5 PagesAs Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness eludes to the inverse interpretation of colors as a motif, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now not only mimics but also portrays through the Vietnam War, the contrasting misguided crusades of enlightenment that the supreme race forces upon savages. The reversed meanings amongst the colors and entangled description in Heart of Darkness shows how backwards civilization is through the need to enlighten or civilize the natives is flamboyantly flaunted in both theRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pagesauthored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture is prevalent in both Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Achebe s Things Fall Apart both writers use styles, symbols, and languageRead MoreHeart Of Darkness : Primitivism Vs Civilization1286 Words   |  6 PagesHeart Of Darkness: Primitivism VS Civilization; as seen by Joesph Conrad 　　As a piece of post-colonialism text, Joesph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness provides an insight on the difference between primitivism and civilization, as seen by the author. Three main symbols help solidify the book’s point that the difference between civilization and primitivism isn’t just black and white, and that the â€Å"gray area† exists within ourselves. These symbols being the comparison of Brussels to â€Å"whited sepulchers†,Read MoreHeart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad And The Portrayal Of Women1679 Words   |  7 PagesLucia Zhu Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and the Portrayal of Women Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness is an adventure tale about the narrator’s journey through the mysterious Congo River. Marlow, the narrator, becomes a sea captain as he travels the world in a steamboat. His journey starts from the Thames River in England to deep in the Congo River of Africa. Marlow’s mission is to locate and retrieve Europe’s best agent–Mr. Kurtz. As the search for Kurtz proves to be both horrifyingRead More The Style, Technique, and Structure of Conrads Heart of Darkness2805 Words   |  12 PagesStructure of Heart of Darkness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is proof that a novel does not have to be long to have literary merit. Heart of Darkness is quite short, yet intriguing, due to the content of the novel. Much like Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Heart of Darkness overwhelms the reader by the power of the story so that one will never feel quite satisfied with their attempts to intellectualize the experience (Adelman 8).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Heart of Darkness was written