Use of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essa

Use of Light and shabbiness in Joseph Conrads center of Darkness Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness contrasts animated and darkness, to represent the civilised and furious sides of the world. Conrad uses light to represent the civilized side of humanity while contrasting the dark with the uncivilized and savage. Throughout the thematic stages of the novel, that is the Thames river London, the companys office in Belgium, the journey to the heart of darkness and the conclusion, light and dark is used to represent these sides of humanity, but on a deeper direct many assumptions of darkness and light are challenged, with the appearance of light and dark, and in turn good and evil contrasting with the reality. From the initial setting, the Thames river, London, on the cruising yawl the Nellie, light and darkness are used to symbolize the good and evil side of humanity. Marlows tale of the Congo is where light and darkness is used to represent the civilized and uncivilized. Marlow ta lks of the lights that are reflected in the water, creating the idea that the members of the Nellie are civilized. The lights of London are again used represent the civilized nature of the hunting lodge, with connotations of good coming from the bright lights of civilization. hitherto this is then contrasted with the juxtaposition of the light, with Marlow saying - And this also has been one of the dark places of the Earth. By saying this Marlow is portraying London as a urban center with once the same darkness of civilization, of which the civilized Romans brought light to. This establishment of light representing the civilized demonstrates the dominant assumptions of the white society, later in the novel it is demonstrated that civilized does no... ...story. However Conrad also challenges many assumptions of darkness being solely associated with evil, and light being solely associated with good, as throughout the novel the light of the white society is critiqued, representing the evil side of humanity. Works Cited and Consulted Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Middlesex, England Penguin Publishers, 1983. Gillon, Adam. (1982). Joseph Conrad. Twaynes English Author Series Number 333. Kinley E. Roby, ed. Boston Twayne. Joseph Conrad. The Encarta 1998 Encyclopedia Online. Microsoft, 1998. Kunitz, Stanley J. Joseph Conrad. Twentieth Century Authors Vol. T. New York H.W. Wilson Company, 1942. 307-9 Stape, J.H.. The Cambridge Companion to Joseph Conrad. Cambridge Cambridge University Press. Taylor, Derek. Conrads Heart of Darkness. The Explicator. No.4 Summer 1998 195-8.