İNGİLİZ/AMERİKAN EDEBİYATI II

The story mainly takes place in Belgian Congo which is one of the most known European colonies in Africa.

The themes in the novel are racism, colonialism and darkness. Religion and faith is not one of the themes.

There are two main geographical settings in the novel; The Congo River in Africa in 1890, and aboard the Nellie on the Thames River in 1891.

The main story is vocalized through Marlow’s point of view.

Marlow in his childhood was fascinated by maps and he wanted to become a seaman or an explorer and to travel to the uncharted areas in the earth.

The tone of the novel is cynical, mocking, pessimistic, stark, and sometimes sarcastic. Heart of Darkness has a pessimistic view on life.

Ivory is a great symbol for white men’s greed and their destructive manners towards nature.

In the story white symbolizes blindness. If the fog is considered as a white form then nothing is seen through it. The dark generally represents the Dark continent Africa and the primitive heart of men.

The women at the headquarters knitting black wool can be taken as a symbol for fate and death.

The Brickmaker is a symbol for the disorganization of the Company.