Heart Of Darkness

The most obvious contrast found in Heart of Darkness is between that of light and dark. In the beginning of the novel when the sun set upon London, the city began to light up yet the narrator describes the light as a "lurid glare under the stars" (Conrad 6). The lights from the city illuminated the Thames River. Because London is described as being light, the light then symbolizes civilization,or at least Conrad's view of civilization. Conrad's view of civilization is one of great despise. Civilization is a place where evil is ever present but ignored and people believe they know everything. The light is the knowledge that we have gained through exploration and the civilizing of places that have not yet been civilized. In contrast there is the darkness. Represented in the novel by Africaand the Congo River, the darkness is the evil that lurks in the unknown. The darkness is full of savages and cannibals. It is the uncivilized and uninhabited part of the world where people eat people and the savages lurk in the trees and in the darkness. Africa is the "heart of darkness," the place where man's inner evil is brought out in the open and is displayed through their thoughts andactions, such as those on Marlow's boat, letting the bullets fly into the jungle without reason or need. 

  

The contrast between light and dark is very important when attempting to understand Conrad's thoughts and ideas about civilization and what it really is. As the novel progresses there is a shift from light to dark. Conrad gradually changes his views of London and of civilization. Thedarkness begins to expand its borders outside of Africa and the greed and inner evil of man is revealed in Europe as well as Africa. This is revealed throughout the novel as the men arriving Europe display their greed for money and they disrespect and cruelty towards Africa's natives. Europe becomes darker in the mind of Marlow as the novel progresses. He realizes that the darkness of Africa for themost part is that of mystery and the unknown, whereas the darkness settling upon London is that of greed and hate. 

  Another comparison was the darkness in Africa and the darkness in London. Marlow described the darkness in Europe saying, "Light came out of this river since---you say Knights? Yes; but it is like running blaze on a plain, like a flash of lightning in the clouds. We live in aflicker---may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday (6)." London started off the novel as a place of light, but as Marlow shared his thoughts about London and civilization in general, he frowned upon civilization and the ways in which society civilizes new nations. Africa began the novel as a dark place of mystery and suspense, a place nobody knew much about.As the novel progressed, Africa was corrupted as civilization began to probe and prod its most inner secrets. This brought out the worst in all men who traveled there. Africa changed from a place of mystery, to a place of greed and hate. This drastic change happened in Europe as well. In the beginning of the novel Europe was presented as the place of light and civilization. As Conrad developed histhoughts on civilization, it became obvious that he frown upon Europe because of the darkness and the greed in the hearts of its men. This is again obvious throughout the novel as Conrad describes the events the Europeans indulge themselves in, in Africa. This comparison shows that no place was safe from the darkness and no man is safe from his own inner evil. 
Conrad’s vision is so dark that hedoes not even trust light. Marlow makes the comment that "sunlight can be made to lie, too." In fact, light often gives way to darkness in the novel. 
Then you’ve got the white sepulcher city in London, the white ivory in the jungle, and the creepy women dressed in black. Everything gets complicated further when you consider the fact that Marlow compares white men to black men, and that Marlow...