In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Kurtz's chilling final words reveal his epiphany about the true nature of man. He came to realize that the flickering light of his morals could not overcome the darkness of his human nature. By weaving images of darkness and light throughout the book, Conrad gives the reader a real sense of the darkness and "horror!" present within every man (239). Through Marlow's journey into the darkness of the Congo, Conrad's use of light and dark imagery as well as symbolism indicates that he too is journeying into the deepest recesses of the darkness of his soul. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Marlow's first words to break the silence in the novel set the dark tone of his tale. He states that “this too was one of the dark places on earth” (138). With Britain's role in colonization, it truly became a place marked by darkness. He describes the River Thames as a “blaze running across a plain, like lightning through the clouds,” a bright flash surrounded by the dark sins of British civilization (139). Everything Marlow sees and experiences leads him to this conclusion, and his narrative is his attempt to pass this knowledge on to his shipmates and to face the harsh reality himself. As "the only man of [the group] who still 'follows the sea,'" Marlow has the ability to reach so far into the heart of man and discriminate the blurred line between light and darkness (138). It is like the ancient Romans who were “men enough to face the darkness” (139). Marlow, however, would not have this ability if it were not for his journey and meeting with Kurtz. The journey, however, is ultimately "one of Marlow's inconclusive experiences" because the internal battle between light and darkness can never be concluded, but only simply acknowledged (141). Marlow's second mention of the dark images is through the map symbol2E Showing his taste for adventure and exploration, as a boy Marlow is fascinated by the "empty spaces of delightful mystery" that dot the map (142). As time passes, explorers "fill in" those bright spaces, filling the void with the "darkness" of "rivers, lakes, and names" (142). Conrad uses this image of light and darkness on this level to illustrate the spread of the dark side of human nature through British exploration. Innocent spaces, white and pale, seem ideal for the colonization and spread of righteousness. Unfortunately, in the reality of the situation, man's darkness flows like ink across the continent when man is exposed to the jungle. This infestation of evil is illustrated through the destruction of Kurtz's "white" moral strength and the cowardly wickedness of Manager2E. Marlow sees Kurtz as a man with a true mission to do something right with the world. When Marlow finally reaches Kurtz, he sees that the "horror" in Kurtz's soul has flourished in the jungle and extinguished his moral flame. The manager, on the other hand, is simply an empty evil coward, without any moral glimmer. Marlow's next use of images of light and darkness occurs in the "whitewashed sepulchre" of Brussels (145). Conrad uses this allusion to the Bible to illustrate the hypocrisy of the city, like a tomb that "appears beautiful on the outside, but on the inside is full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27-28). Like the later image of the “paper Mephistopheles,” the “whitewashed tomb” has an ideal outward appearance with only darkness within (171). This duality allows Conrad to highlight colonization's hypocritical treatment ofBrussles, using moralistic propaganda under the false pretext of "civilizing the natives" to disguise their greedy and evil actions. The Company is also inherently a "whitewashed tomb", as it furthers the evil purpose. As Marlow approaches the Company's building, he is escorted inside by one of two women "knitting black wool" (145). The women knitting are an allusion to the Fates of Greek mythology. The symbol of their black wool and their silence gives the scene an eerie tone. As the women weave their tortuous black threads, they present the idea of ​​Marlow's already woven destiny. She must also move from one of their paths as if she were a "sleepwalker," walking without conscious control of her destination (145). The dark threads they weave for Marlow will lead him to twist the Congo and understand its dark immoral fibers. Conrad's use of black wool foreshadows the evil that Marlow's fate will lead him to experience, and further extends the image of darkness. As Marlow continues his tale, his illustration of light and darkness becomes more passionate and focused. "I saw the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of burning desire; but, by all the stars! These were strong, vigorous, red-eyed devils, influencing and leading men-men, I But while I was on the hillside, I predicted that under the blinding sun of that land I would make the acquaintance of a flaccid, fake devil, with weak eyes, of a rapacious and merciless madness I only discovered months later" (155). The blinding sunlight reveals to Marlow the true "savages" of the Congo. In the jungle, Marlow's description of the appearance of the savages places them as "crouching black forms, stretched out, sitting among the trees, leaning on the trunks, clinging to the earth, half emerging, half effaced by the gloom, in all attitudes of sorrow, of abandonment and desperation” (156). These dark savages have been “half erased” by the “light” of British civilization. They are still a weak and hungry people, and have “all the attitudes of pain, abandonment and desperation”. this description, Conrad illustrates Marlow's realization of the innocence of those once thought to be simply uncivilized savages. In reality, it is the colonists, pale-skinned and dressed in white, who represent the true evil. white cuffs,...2 light alpaca jackets. white trousers, a sheer silk tie, and patent boots" (157) only hide the fact that they are hollow to the core, a true representation of "paper-mch Mephistopheles." Conrad illustrates the white man's attempt to cover up his evil with the facade of civilization through the white clothes above their dark and empty conscience. Like the painting on the wall of the Central Station, the light of their misdirected "morals" casts them in a "sinister" light (169). they bring into this dark world brings out their true evil, just like the woman walking “majestically” in the darkness The definitive illustration of light versus darkness in the novel occurs within Kurtz himself as a shining light of moral strength, Kurtz earns the respect of those around him and the envy of those who cannot produce ivory to his standards. By earning the respect of the natives, Kurtz's original moral reserve helps him gain an edge in the ivory trade. However, the true "horror" of the world around him and the "horror" of the deepest regions of his soul overwhelm him, driving him to rule with an iron fist. Seemingly a failure, Kurtz's moral glimmer fades and the]" (235)..