Essay --

Brian DanielsMarch 12, 2014 sum total of nighttime In Heart of Darkness, Conrad presents us with two classes of vileness. The rough 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 phantasma 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 natives increases the darkness throughout the novel. Conrads novel, Heart of Darkness, is based on the historical period of imperialism in order to describe Marlows 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 doesnt lie with what to exp ect. Marlows experience in Africa stirs hate at the brutalizing effects of colonialism, a curse tha...