Heart Of Darkness Symbolism

“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.” (Jung) Recognizing and understanding the evil within ones self can make it easier to recognize why some have fallen blind to their own evil. This basic idea is a major principle and theme throughout Joseph Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness, and is something that beomes apparent in the entire book. This novel includes many more themes on the premise of mankind’s darkness when man is put into certain environments. In Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness, he uses the literary elements of symbolism, characterization, and setting to illustrate the theme that when humans are surrounded by darkness they can become blind to the truth.

Symbolism is a powerful

Fitting the matter perfectly, The Russian is the ideal model of the stated theme. The Russian is a man that has probably changed the most after spending time in the Congo. Being a man that was reduced to becoming a “disciple” of Kurtz and worshipping him much like the native Africans did. After witnessing the amount of control and authority Kurtz had, his own morals become astray. Stating that “Kurtz has enlarged my mind,” (Conrad 37) he had become envious of Kurtz so much, his own covetousness grew to the point that he wanted to be Kurtz. Kurtz is also an exemplary example of losing sight when being enclosed by darkness. Kurtz can best be represented by three changes in character that led to his demise. Firstly, Kurtz starts as a normal—if ambitious—man who realizes that to thrive in the congo, he has to act and become a god. Secondly, his insatiable hunger for ivory drives him to madness. Thirdly, as his greed grows he begins to show less and less restraint, morality, and consciousness until he is no more than an animal. His madness is indicated by Marlow's statement, “the jungle has got into his veins, consumed his flesh." (Conrad 29) The Russian and Kurtz were flawless examples of denoting a theme by use of