Prompt #9

     Whether or not Heart of Darkness is a racist novel is a more difficult question to answer than it may seem.  There is the use of harsh and crude language such as "nigger", "savages", and even going as far as comparing them to dogs.  On the surface this comes across as a very racist, very gross book which has no place on public library shelves, much less on the a student's desk.  However, several characteristics must be taken into consideration before quickly judging Conrad's work.
     A large thing to be taken in to consideration is the time period which this was set in.  The novella was published in 1899.  Although slavery was now frowned upon, the attitudes towards black people did not really change throughout America or England.  This was before the cultural normalities of working to not offend people and working to make everyone equal.  These earlier words are examples of words accepted by white men at this time.  Another possible explanation has to do with the phrase "talking like a sailor". This can be shown here as an example of sailors who just use crude language because it is their way of life.
     I believe it is important for this novel to stay and be taught in schools because it also teaches the wickedness of imperialism and the Englishmen and the history of the time.  A people cannot grow together unless they face their past and move forward.  Painting over the mistakes and injustices will not cause change.  Conrad's work deserves to be read, taught, and be called a classic novella because it does what all novels are supposed to do - tell a story.

Prompt 18

Heart of Darkness gains its title from the way the outsiders see Africa and its inhabitants.  They are dark skinned, "in the dark" about some major technological advances, and generally gloomy and savage.  Heart by definition means "the central or innermost part of something". The dictionary also defines darkness as "the absence of light, wickedness and evil, obscurity and concealment, lack of knowledge, and blindness".  All of those different definitions of darkness fit the novella.  Wickedness and evil reek from Marlow and Kurtz, the jungle conceals the obscure happenings, the savages are not perceived as having much knowledge, and the sailors seem blind to the ways and ideals of the natives.  With those definitions, the literal meaning of the title is very belittling to the people of the land. Any combination of those multiple meanings of darkness does not have a good connotation.  In its simplest form, the meaning is "center of the absence of light".   By this meaning, Africa is the place where light no longer shines.  Enlightenment no longer occurs.  In this translation, Africa and its inhabitants are going to be the most difficult culture for the imperialists to overcome.  The title of the novel foreshadows the attitude of the rest of the novel.

Prompt 18

Joseph Conrad’s title of his novel, Heart of Darkness, holds a very ominous vibe to the reader before opening the book. The title is referring not only to the location but to the state of mind from the Europeans because of their imperialistic ways. The novel takes place in the deep jungles of Africa, where everything is dark and untamed. Everything seems almost out of control to the outside eye and because of this it leaves a dark intimidating feel, like the title.  Biblically, when Christians or other religious cultures refer to sin, their hearts are dark and evil. They are full of sinful ways and have not been cleansed by salvation. In the novel, the Africans and “savages” are seen as evil and untamed, just when referring to the sinful ways of the world their hearts are full of darkness. The imperialistic ways can be seen as dark and evil as well. The overpowering ways of forcing cultures and power onto “inferior” nations can be seen as an evil act. Evil and sinful actions are better acted on in the dark because no one is able to see them. In the novel, they’re blind in the situation they are in because of the darkness that surrounds them metaphorically and physically.

Prompt 12

In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness the author writes in a narrative style with Marlow and an unnamed man. When the unnamed man speaks, the novel is open to more commentary in the story. When Marlow takes over we are given different viewpoints, allowing the story to have more depth between the two speakers. Because of this the novel is given a unique structure by the author, almost as if there is a story within the story. A story between an unnamed narrator and Marlow where the unnamed narrator interacts with the main character. This relationship helps the storyline to progress and carry to create more detail and views to be expressed to describe the journey the speakers take. This opens up the story to a pessimistic and poetic tone because of the structure and the narrative style. All of these elements help to impact the meaning of “Heart of Darkness” because the reader is given a viewpoint from two men in an environment that is out of their comfort zones, opening them up to true thoughts that are common to the cultures they’ve grown up with. The point of views from the narrators completely change the story depending on their backgrounds they’ve known their entire life.

Prompt 18

Before a reader begins delving into Joseph Conrad’s world with Marlow, Mr. Kurtz, and the rest of the novella’s characters, the first prominent feature of Heart of Darkness lies in its title.  This label encompasses the very theme upon which Conrad’s story is constructed, ultimately defining the keystone idea expressed throughout the text.  As a title, Heart of Darkness operates twofold, which contributes to a greater understanding of the story as a whole.

The first of these can be found in the novella’s geographical setting, which occurs in the deep core of Africa, an area which was often referred to as “the dark continent” during the 19th century.  The continent was shrouded in mystery at the time when this name was commonly used; the Western culture knew little about the area at the time due to lack of mapping and exploration by Europeans.  Heart of Darkness, published in 1899, was written at the turn of the 20th century when most of Africa’s land remained uncharted and generally unknown to the general European public.  Thus, Heart of Darkness could likely refer to the the story’s location: the center of an unexplored, unfamiliar land.

However, Conrad’s title could also refer to a perspective of humanity which is just that: the dark, primitive, and relentless side which carries the weight of, according to Conrad’s views within the story, the African people and any other human who is unlike that of those living in the Western culture.  Those who become separated from Europe and find themselves surrounded by the shadows of the African forests are, in turn, robbed of their humanity, as their hearts are likewise transformed into darkness.

Ivory, the central profit motive for much of the colonial actors in the era of imperialism in Africa. This raw material from Africa was considered an ornate material, fit only for the ritziest of settings in the western world, ironically, the whitest. This is the ultimate yet simplest symbol within the novella, which certainly extends into the real world of imperial Afro-commerce. In Conrad’s real world, it was a precious, exotic material (produced as a direct result of exploitation of the life of an animal unique to Africa and other exotic empires) that only the most civilized could afford, and represented a refined taste and curiosity for foreign, savage lands. In Heart of Darkness the same is true, but there is an added literary layer to the ivory. It is white. It is good. It is pure. It is out of place. It deserves better. It does not belong in a heart of “darkness.” It does not belong among the black. it is unlike the earthen tones and people that populate the land. In fact, when meeting Kurtz, Marlow takes notice not of his white, but his “ivory” skin.

9. while it could be argued that there are elements of racism in every novel produced in this period and prior, Heart of Darkness , due to its mystic setting (in which the people are often associated with the jungle) and focus on the interaction of two worlds, this perceived bias and racism appears so easily. For example, when Marlow takes the sick Kurtz aboard with him, he describes the people that watch after them in this way, “When the next day we left at noon, the crowd, of whose presence behind the trees I had been acutely conscious all the time, flowed out of the woods again, filled the clearing, covered the slope with a mass of naked, breathing, quivering, bronze bodies.” Marlow does not distinguish deliberately between the people and the nature itself, the nature that intimidates and is described as dark. This blending of the people in the nature is a recurring theme, Marlow even once declared that “the mist itself screamed.” this indicates that Marlow (or Conrad) associates the people with primitive nature as opposed to advanced humanity. Although this racism is blatant, i do not believe that this is enough to exclude it from the literary canon. Perhaps it should not be so lauded, but we cannot change history, nor can we shy away from it.

Prompt 3

Conrad utilizes the archetypal mystery and splendor of the forest multiple times throughout Heart of Darkness, and of these several instances he also connects this wilderness to the primitive, undomesticated hearts of men.  The association of mankind with that of the forest’s unbridled darkness is one of novella’s most prevalent, recurring themes, and is frequently supported throughout the text:

 “All that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men”.

“The vision seemed to enter the house with me... the gloom of the forests... the beat of the drum, regular and muffled like the beating of a heart - the heart of a conquering darkness.”

“...the forest stood up spectrally in the moonlight, and through the dim stir, through the faint sounds of that lamentable courtyard, the silence of the land went home to one’s very heart - its mystery, its greatness, the amazing reality of its concealed life.”

In all of these passages, Conrad describes the forest as inexplicably frightening and then relates this wilderness to the very center of humanity.  The hazy, mysterious, and gloomy qualities of the forest are reflected through the hearts of mankind, suggesting that at the very core of every man lies a dark, primitive barbarian subdued only by civilization and domestication.

HOD BLOG 12

The narrative style is from the point of view of an un-named man and Marlow which adds to the mysterious and ambivalent tone of the piece. The structure is say up to merely tell the story of the men's journey, because it is in past tense. This all connects together and revolves around the theme of imperialism and the evil of the world. It focuses in on several different groups of people...canibals, anxious travelers, the savages and natives of the land, plus the main characters and their dramatic and emotional endeavors. These travelers grow on this journey and become men. The story also talks about greed especially when it comes to the ivory. The travelers also learn to deal with the natives in a respectful way. There are several hidden lessons and themes. Conrads unique use of these elements are what make this novel a memorable one.

The contrast between the intended and the mistress is between civilization and the wild. The intended thinks well of Kurtz, and puts him on a pedestal, whereas the native sees Kurtz at face value and has him anyways. By extension, civilization ignores the wild side of man, idealizes him, and substitutes society for his carnal instincts, whereas the wild recognizes the murderous, insane side of man and in fact identifies with him. What's more, Kurtz is more attracted to both the native and the wild, so much he doesn't want to leave to return to society. Conrad says many a time that woman idealizes the world, until we come across the native who is "one with the wild." Kurtz is so attracted to her and the wild because they corrupt him and allow him to deteriorate into a lesser form of himself, to where he is the savage among savages.

Heart of Darkness Blog 8-Meg Barber

"Heart of Darkness" is considered one of the most classic short novels of its time. Joseph Conrad, the author, however has been speculated as a racist. Personally I don't believe it affects the characterization on the novel. The novel is based on a man traveling through Africa...avoiding comments that could be taken as racist is quite difficult. Plus the novel was written at a time where a modern view of racism was seen as nothing in this time period. Chinua Achebe views differently saying, "...namely in criticisms of his work is due to the fact that white racism against Africa is such a normal way of thinking that it's manifestations go com-that Conrad was a bloody racist." I personally think this is extreme. It is taking things out of context. Conrad wrote a great piece of literature and other themes could be explored other than he was a racist. 

Blog 11: Women in Heart of Darkness

"It's queer how out of touch with truth women are. They live in a world of their own, and there has never been anything like it, and never can be. It's too beautiful altogether, and if they were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset." From the beginning, slightly into chapter one, Marlow, and arguably Conrad's stance on women is developed. Throughout the rest of the chapter he talks of allowing women "to stay in their beautiful world." Moreover, the word idealistic can often imply ignorance of the truth or rather devaluing the truth. Primarily, there are two central female characters in Heart of Darkness: one being the mistress, the carnal native whom Kurtz is inexplicably drawn to, and the other is the intended, an idealistic woman who knows nothing of the true nature of Kurtz. There is a contrast in the woman who knows and recognizes the truth, and the woman who doesn't; the intended is meant to symbolize civilization and the native is meant to symbolize the wild.  Without out a doubt, Kurtz is more carnally attracted to the native, just as he becomes more attracted to the power he has as a demigod in the Congo. Furthermore, the only representation women have in this book are to better delineate the differing sides of man and the differing sides of the world. They are only there to set up the comparison of society vs. wild. All in all, women are very passive in Heart of Darkness, and their characters are wholly dependent on the man's reactions to them and man's commentary on them.

Heart of Darkness prompt 6

The postscript Kurtz left on his writings, "exterminate the brutes!" seemed to seriously contradict the perviously expressed ideas in the body of his papers.  His writings focused on the civilization and incorporation of natives (or uncivilized people) into civilization.  His work started out with the right idea and good intentions, but it seems his insanity, among other things, sent him into a spiral with no real means of an end.  Kurtz seems to be a very contradictory human being; he supposedly is in the inner station making great advancements and headway.  He is said to have been doing good and making relationships with the people, but when Marlow arrives at the inner station, there are decapitated heads decorating Kurtz's dwelling.  This seems to be the real savagery of the novel, not the natives themselves.  Kurtz's last words, "The horror! The horror!"  could be interpreted as meaningful, or meaning nothing at all.  While on the brink of death, Kurtz comes to grips with the fact that he has virtually done nothing that he originally set out to do.  If anything, in the apparent process to civilize the uncivilized, he deteriorated himself.  He became the savage; the uncivilized one.  This realization sends him into a frantic rush to get all of his thoughts and ideas out to Marlow.  If he can put this load on Marlow, he won't feel as bad for his absolute failure.  The horror could be this very realization, but the reader can never know for sure.  It could just be another crazy outburst or pain felt during final moments of his life.

Heart of Darkness prompt 10

In Heart of Darkness, racism is inherently a major theme.  The question of whether Conrad has racist views that transcend into his novel, I feel, depends on the reader.  It is obvious that Conrad takes time to illustrate the line between the Europeans and the Natives.  By calling the natives "savages", Conrad explicitly implies that the natives are different from the Europeans and other civilized people (and even inferior).  However, I do wonder whether or not Conrad would have used any other vocabulary to describe the natives if they happened to be of white race.  I believe that the intentions of Conrad were to highlight the difference between civilized people and uncivilized people.  The fact that he made the natives African is (of course) because the setting is in the middle of Africa.  The racism may come into play when he conveys the idea that this place of savagery and uncivilized people is the literal "heart of darkness" of the world.  He seems to believe that this area and the Inner Station are the catacombs for all the world's darkness and evil, but is that the native's fault?  If Marlow is a reflection of Conrad, then it would be logical to assume that Conrad's views may be prejudice.  However, there is no real evidence that Marlow is supposed to embody his creator, so an assumption to that degree could be seriously flawed.

Heart of Darkness Prompt 15

Ivory has very much meaning to the novel, literal and figurative. In the sense it's literal meaning, the ivory itself is extracted from dentine, which is found in the teeth and tusks of multiple animals. This includes animals such as elephants, hippos, rhinos, etc... This showing how important the actual resource was, it was used to make many items. Moving onto the figurative meaning, ivory represents evil and greed that revolves around the white men. The natives also valued ivory very much simply because it was considered to be one of the purest things in nature. They even valued it to the point of actually praying to it, as if it were a God. Ivory is also noted to be the only companion that Kurtz consistently has. Marlow says, "The wilderness had patted him on the head, and, behold, it was like a ball-an ivory ball." By this time Kurtz is being carried on a stretcher. This shows how ivory is related to the evil that has taken over Kurtz himself. In The Heart of Darkness ivory plays a role in significance in representing the good, the evil, and the dehumanization mission.

Heart of Darkness Prompt 18

The title The Heart of Darkness, is definitely a title that sticks with you. There are many ways you could portray story to meaning, and meaning to title. The most obvious one that is consistent throughout the novel, is the idea of literally a darkness taking over what used to be a heart. In utter relation to the story, Kurtz happens to be the victim. Considering greed is not only addictive, but uncontrolled. It is hard to determine blame if your heart is taken over with darkness. Kurtz was caught up in the power that he had. The idea of the takeover of Imperialism is also a possibility as to why the title was chosen. Terrible consequences resulted in the movement of Imperialism alone, much similar to the dehumanizing acts that take place in the novel. Lastly, the story takes place in what is known to be the heart of jungle, with anything from cannibalism to savage hunters lurking around. Simply just the thought of morals is not even considering when you are located here, meaning that the actual setting is the heart of darkness, rather than the darkness taking over the heart itself.

Heart of Darkness prompt #11

Discuss Heart of Darkness from a feminist perspective. Discuss the female characters—their purpose, significance. What is revealed about the place and image of women?

First of all, there are very few female characters in Heart of Darkness, and of those there are very few that are actually significant. The most prominent are Kurtz’ African mistress and his intended European wife. These women are both just to satisfy Kurtz’ desire to live in these two different worlds. They are just objects that serve as spoils of each life style, in Europe he enjoys the “perfect companion” while in the Congo he keeps company with the woman who is independent, mysterious, and fierce; everything that his culture rejects. Conrad is only concerned with how the females interact with his male characters, besides that they are irrelevant. The women of this novel are viewed just as inhuman as the natives; it is the same issue of Conrad’s racism. It is just less poignant because of the lack of female characters. This reinforces the idea that the only reason women are even included in Heart of Darkness is to portray the difference Kurtz feels between Africa and Europe.

Heart of Darkness prompt #5

Contrast Kurtz’ black mistress with his intended. What is the function of each?

The contrast between Kurtz’ mistress and his intended not only supports his major theme of the difference between dark and light, good and evil, but it also serves as a metaphor for Africa and Europe. Each woman is the embodiment of how Kurtz perceives the environment where they live and the period of his life. Marlow even describes Kurtz’ in an extremely dark and mysterious way, reminiscent of the forest, “She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate process.” This woman is proud, exotic, and alluring; everything that a woman in Europe cannot be at this time. His intended represents what a “proper woman” is, pale, pure, capable, but out of sight. His intended is meant to stand meekly behind Kurtz, yet the African Queen strides throughout the forest claiming territory as her own, even providing her influence over Kurtz. Kurtz also uses each woman as an output for each facet of his personality, the rational and irrational; of course the black and unconventional mistress supports the irrational or bad side.

Heart of Darkness Blog Prompt 8

                Joseph Conrad’s degrading of the African natives throughout Heart of Darkness gives the African people a feeling of wildness, of otherness, of savageness. He portrays them almost as alien beings infesting the jungle from which civilized people reap riches. They (the Europeans – white people) invade the natives’ land and then degrade them simple because they are the way they are.

                This alien characterization of the natives elevates the white people far above where they would have been under the normal way of things – an invading, hostile, greedy force that disrupted the peace and way of life of the African tribes. Thus, the white characters are portrayed as a civilized representation of humanity, while the blacks become the wild, vicious, savage animals that must either be controlled or done away with entirely.

                For the novel as a whole, this characterization bends the readers’ minds so that they will begin to view the blacks as Conrad and other Europeans of that time period would have – as foreign, filthy, disgusting, good-for-nothing savages who need to be put in their places. Thus, we are able to see the natives as Marlow saw them – foreign, confusing, interesting creatures with which one must not associate too closely.

Heart of Darkness Blog Prompt 11

               While many readers believe Joseph Conrad is a racist, and I do not disagree, I also believe he errs on the sexist side. Throughout Heart of Darkness, women are not brought up as often as the male characters, as there are not a lot of civilized women hanging around in the African Jungle, but when a female character does make an appearance, they are treated very differently than the men.

                The first female character to have a role worth mentioning is Marlow’s aunt. She is the person who secures him a spot on the African expedition on the hunt for ivory along the river, as a steamboat captain. Despite her vital-ness to Marlow’s going to Africa at all, her comments and Marlow’s thoughts portray her as unthinking and ignorant of the ways of the world, almost as a bit of an airhead. “It’s queer how out of touch with truth women are. They live in a world of their own, and there has never been anything like it, and never can be. It is too beautiful altogether, and if they were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset.” This statement strongly implies that Marlow believes women are not fit to hold any positions of power or influence, as they would ruin or misunderstand everything that has been in existence.

                After the encounter with his aunt, he doesn’t meet another women of influence until his sighting of the African women deep in the jungle, whilst entrenched among the natives. Kurtz, living closely with the natives and having earned their trust and admiration, has especially caught the eye of a beautiful, exotic woman. “She was savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent; there was something ominous and stately in her deliberate progress. And in the hush that had fallen suddenly upon the whole sorrowful land, the immense wilderness, the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious life seemed to look at her, pensive, as though it had been looking at the image of its own tenebrous soul.” This woman, presumably Kurtz’s underground lover, is presented as the opposite of who Kurtz’s Intended is later shown to be. The African women is wild, savage, and aware, while the Intended is naive, simple, and ignorant in her beliefs and understandings – essentially the two are the opposite of each other.

                The women in Heart of Darkness serve as counterparts for the male characters, characters above the status of the natives but below that of the men. They are counterparts for the male’s emotions and actions, but also serve to illustrate a, perhaps not unconscious, attitude of sexism. Women live in their own, irrational world, and their fantasies render them unable to hold any real jobs or positions of power.

                Unless, of course, that woman is an African savage.

Heart of Darkness: Prompt 18

The answer to the question proposed by the strange nature of the title Heart of Darkness is a relatively simple one. The story takes place in the Congo which just so happens to be the heart of the African jungle and due to the overgrown nature of the jungle, not much light makes it through to what is below. However, this is only the most literal meaning. There are quite a few other interpretations that fit perfectly with the subject matter of the novella. The darkness may also be referencing the dark nature of the imperialism of the time that is showcased in the novel. The title may also be referencing the darkness that can overtake the heart when a person gains too much power. It is pretty much common knowledge that when a person is given too much power they become corrupted and misuse said power allowing the darkness that resides within themselves to play into their actions. This is the situation that plays out through much of Heart of Darkness.

Prompt 3

            Throughout Heart of Darkness, the forest takes its toll on the characters in the novel. Not only does the forest itself offers a setting for the short-story, however it is a strong symbolic aspect in the forest. It shows the true savage landscape and reality of being in the wild, however it also helps to show the brutality and violence in all of the characters as well.

            The jungle, being a wild and unpredictable environment, lends itself to the men as a type of wake-up-call to reality. It is a way to show the reality and brutality of the real world, and exemplifies the natural path to corruption. The forest represents the temptations, and Kurtz is the one who succumbs to the jungle's influence, as quoted: "the wilderness seemed to draw him in to its pitiless breast by the awakening of forgotten and brutal instincts, by the memory of gratified and monstrous passions." (112) This shows how evil can corrupt and change a person, in which Kurtz becomes victim to the true state of mankind. The death of Kurtz can be related to anyone, in which the forest destroys a man's morals and life. Kurtz's eyes were "piercing enough to penetrate all the hearts that beat in the darkness" (119), and showed how he realized the reality behind living. The forest had decided to show the hatred and evil that can come out of any human being at any moment, and in the end wrapped this metaphorical concept all while giving the men a physical setting for the story.

Heart of Darkness: Prompt #9

In Conrad's novella, there is a great amount of realism that plays into the storyline. This is mostly because of the fact that Heart of Darkness is based off of Conrad's own experiences in the Congo. So because of the realism being worked into the narrative, intentional or not, there is a realistic amount of racist content. For the time period, the racism is actually relatively tame. However, this can only be determined after the story is looked at in the context of the time period it takes place in. If many of the events in the novel that dehumanize the natives are taken out of the context, the novella appears to be incredibly racist. As for teaching on it, I think that someone who plans to teach on the story should remind those who are reading it that the novel is based off of a real life experience to avoid any confusion as to if the novel is actually promoting racism. Racism was and still is something that exists in this world and it shows in the works of art that are produced to reflect the world we live in. So to be completely realistic in a story like Heart of Darkness, things like racism must be included.

Prompt 18

The title, Heart of Darkness, has many possibilities of meaning, one very obvious meaning is the possibility that Africa is a center of darkness, the heart of darkness. It is uncivilized and certainly not tamed. When Marlow ventures into the heart of Africa along the Congo river, he is entering the heart of darkness. However, even more so, there is a much stronger meaning that can be derived from the title. This realization comes with the fact that in a way the wilderness reflects the own heart of humanity. Marlow finds that the line between his own civilized personality and that of the wild people is very thin, and quite literally the fact that all human hearts have the same core. Before entering into the journey, Marlow has quite the interesting visit with a doctor. The doctor measures Marlow's head and displays his scientific interest in the psychological state of outsiders that venture into Africa. Marlow's own experiences cause him to find that, as Hugh Mercer Curtler writes in his piece, "Achebe on Conrad: Racism and Greatness in Heart of Darkness," that, "one thing  Marlow admires about civilization is its promotion of restraint." Civilization, in a sense, is simply the restraint of natural human functions. The title may be referencing the point that every human has the potential to be savage.

Prompt 12

In Joseph Conrad's, Heart of Darkness, there is a sense of moral ambiguity present in the speaker. As Marlow travels through the wilderness of Africa, he sees many twisted subjects. He sees the exhaustion and wildness in the natives; he sees the European corruption; but, even more he has trouble finding the distinction. He finds the line between civilized people and wild people is very thin. In the writing, Conrad conveys this mysterious ambiguity in his complex writing style. As I read through the novel, I had difficulty keeping at times, difficulty focusing. In many ways this conveys the reaction of the speaker to his surroundings. The cultural immersion that took place was disorienting for Marlow, a sensation overload. There was such a vast input of information that it became all the more difficult for him to focus. Conrad conveys this ingeniously to the reader, by making the reader feel that same kind of confusion, that same feeling of being overloaded with information. I had to keep up with the words as a reader. Each word mattered and it was easy get disoriented by the amount of information given.  A major theme of the book is simply the inability to cast any real judgment, there is the stated: us (civilization) and them (native Africans), but the fact is that when it comes down to it, both are human beings.

Prompt 18

               Whether or not an individual is familiar with the novella, Heart of Darkness, one can very easily assume that the pages will transport us into a menacing place. This sinister title sets the tone for the entire short story as the readers are constantly trying to figure out what exactly the title means. However once the last page is turned we walk away with a solid grasp concerning what the title signifies.

                Very literally we can take the title and show its physical significance. The setting of the novel takes place in the center or the "heart" of Africa. Therefore the main character Marlow is in the heart of a country which happens to be shrouded in the darkness of its overgrown jungles.  The people which live in the center of Africa are also cut off from the outside world, for the most part. The native people are also stuck in the dark “caves” which Plato describes in his allegory. Ironically, their ignorance and primitively seem to affect others moral compass, much more than their own.

                On a very metaphorical level we can see that the title, Heart of Darkness holds meaning concerning sanity and morality. Throughout the storyline it is very apparent that people lose their humanity when they are surrounded by the wild. Pure hearts soon become shrouded in darkness much like the jungle is shrouded in fog. What's good is now bad and what's bad is now good. While the black individuals are considered to be savages, we can see that they may have better morals than those white individuals which come from elsewhere. The fog and the ivory are also both white but symbolize obscurity and greed. The title Heart of Darkness may use the idea of darkness (black), to symbolize the loss of humanity, but the pages inside show us that those white things, thought to be good, may be the sources of all the problems.