journey to capture the ivory market. He goes from the products of European civilization and becomes victim to his barbaric instincts as his dark side reveals itself through partaking in horrendous rituals of the natives. Kurtz is symbolic of inner darkness that lies deep within refinement and civility. He feels it necessary to display his winnings atop poles outside his camp, yet facing inwards."One evening coming in with a candle I was startled to hear him say a little tremulously, 'I am lying here in the dark waiting for death.' The light was within a foot of his eyes."(Conrad 111)This quote illustrates the fact that Kurtz is overcome by darkness and blind to the light. Another such instance is embodied in an oil painting done by Kurtz, depicting a blindfolded woman surrounded by darkness, but carrying a torch which casts a sinister light over her face. The blindfolded woman can be taken as a common Western symbol of justice and liberty, things that man has created to differentiate himself from the beasts and savages. The fact that the woman is enshrouded in darkness with only insufficient torchlight to guide her says a lot about the nature of our society.As the novella commences Marlow encounters huge buzzing flies that constantly pester and annoy him. Towards the close of Heart of Darkness he finds himself amidst a swarm of small flies. The diminishing size of the insects is a representation of the growth in Marlow’s character as his journey progresses. Symbolism as such is one of the great examples of Conrad’s intelligenceHeart of Darkness overflows with symbolism and is by far one of the greatest novels of the twenty century. Conrad employs the literary tricks as he unwraps more than just the quest of a man and his trip through the Congo. Looking between the lines helps convey the true meaning in Heart of Darkness and enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the novel. Not to forget that Conrad closes the book with clas...
