Essay --

Brian Daniels March 12, 2014 Heart of Darkness In Heart of Darkness, Conrad presents us with two classes of â€Å"darkness†. The savage nature of the natives and the brutality of European imperialism, asking which of the two is the greater evil. In the beginning of the novel, Conrad establishes his thoughts on imperialism through the main character Marlow. The idea of â€Å"darkness† is emphasized from the title of the novel, and continues to play an important role throughout the story. Darkness governs almost everything in the novel. The secluded and harsh attitudes Europeans held towards the native’s increases the darkness throughout the novel. Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, is based on the historical period of imperialism in order to describe Marlow’s struggle. Marlow is asked by "the company", the organization who he works for, to travel to the Congo River and report back to them about Mr. Kurtz, a top notch officer of theirs. When he first sets sail, he doesn't know what to expect. Marlow's experience in Africa stirs hate at the brutalizing effects of colonialism, a hatred tha...