Heart+of+Darkness+-+the+symbols+&+motifs

= //Heart of Darkness// - symbols and motifs =

> "crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea"
 * The word and different interpretations of darkness are used very sparingly during the course of the story, depicting the rising sun "as if angered by the approach of the sun" which may provoke the idea of embracing the darkness and shunning out any light a swell as "It was just a robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind". Again the example hinting at the darkness embracing the actions of someone and light being shunned because of blindness of their actions
 * "We live in the flicker - may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday" may be interpreted as: For their to be light it must first be dark*. Referring to colonialism as producing a new way of life which is based on "darkness" of the deaths of many people. ( *The quote is by me :)
 * The river Thames could be representational of the historical context of colonialism - for example when Marlow talks of the Romans; 'like a walk down memory lane'.
 * The river symbolizes time, and it is there as if to say that although traces disappear and things might be hidden, you cant hide anything from the river.
 * The river is neutral - it sees the colonialism around them. It shows that colonialism is forever. It goes in a circle. Full circle. Everything is connected. Also, the river shows that it is the Africans only way to get across Africa without walking. It is key to their daily lives.

Heart of Darkness - Darkness in yr/man's/humanitie's heart - Congo - in the middle of the world, a centre


 * **I think that Kurtz can also be interpreted as a symbol. He is a symbol for Humanity or the Human race. Until the end of the story, he was "the voice", "the emissary of light" etc. The audience was never introduced to Kurtz, we were just given descriptions of him from other people.**
 * **Kurtz, is a symbol of nature or at least what nature intended us to be. Kurtz was successful in his job and followed orders; however when he came to Congo, a place without rules and regualtions, and this is where he changed. The nature seduced him and his greed for power increased and in the end he became a person even he didnt know.**
 * The Fog as a symbol as it is another way to descibing the darkness. You cannot see anything; what you are doing, what you are trying to protect yourself from. All the knowledge they gained from boating means nothing now as they cannot see where they are going and begin to get lost - the knowledge is wrong or miscalculated.
 * The river also symbolizes the key to Africa, and that the men can sail to the center of the world without having to cross it physically. The way up the river is very difficult and slow, but to travel downwards, back to civilization, it is very fast
 * When we read that the Russian was threatened by Kurtz to hand over the ivory, it can be seen that power and the endlessness of it drives one to madness.
 * Marlow gains a great deal of information by watching the world around him and by overhearing others’ conversations, as when he listens from the deck of the wrecked steamer to the manager of the Central Station and his uncle discussing Kurtz and the Russian trader.
 * Fog is a sort of corollary to darkness. Fog not only obscures but distorts: it gives one just enough information to begin making decisions but no way to judge the accuracy of that information, which often ends up being wrong. Marlow’s steamer is caught in the fog, meaning that he has no idea where he’s going and no idea whether peril or open water lies ahead.
 * Darkness is a symbol of greed throughout the story as the imperialists go into the 'heart of darkness' to find ivory. It can also be depicted as a symbol of mystery; no one knows what lies beyond the darkness.
 * Motif: Interior and exterior - Marlow, as described in the beginning of the book, likes to explore things from the exterior rather than look for the deeper (internal) meaning of things as a source of knowledge. This is explored throughout the book as Marlow tells the men on the Nellie about his travels in the Congo, and does not necessarily look for a deeper meaning.
 * Women could be thought of as symbols in the book as when Marlow talks about them, he states that they lived in a world separate from men; almost as if they are an illusion. When Kurtz's wife enters, she is draped in luxury items such as jewelry which could also mean that women are a type of luxury for men; something to show off.