Krisztina Alderson
Heart Of Darkness
Literary Devices
Jeopardy Questions:
1. Conrad uses this to develop Kurtz’s last few moments alive, as he realized that he
became a wild madman and was dying completely alone.
- What is epiphany?
2. Throughout the novel, Conrad uses this to symbolize obscurity, mystery, and fear
of entering the unknown.
-What is fog?
Summary:
How do literary devices “affect” the meaning of the work as a whole?
Throughout the book, Conrad employs literary devices to enhance the message of
the book and to really make an impact on the reader. For example, his heavy use of
imagery helps the reader to really get a solid picture of what is happening in his/her
mind. A good example of imagery used throughout the book is how he describes the
environment/scenery—be it the boat, water, jungle, or the people. Also, the stark
contrasts between how the light is presented and how the darkness is presented
lends to the readers understanding of the underlying meaning of the book—how
light and dark and black and white can all be very different, yet neither one is pure
or truly trustworthy. The contrasts between different settings, yet also the
undertones of similarities between them (the jungle and Brussels and England being
gloomy), helps convey the theme not only verbally but also visually.
The imagery is also very important to the work because the wording and visual
image that you get in your mind corresponds to how the symbolism works in the
book. One of the biggest symbols in the book is the fog and the darkness, because it
represents the lack of accuracy, and the endless possibility of terrible things
happening, such as getting attacked in the dark or getting lost in the fog. Another
prominent symbol that Conrad explores deeply using imagery is the river. The river
represents how Africa is different from Europe, and the strong currents of the river
that make it difficult to travel on represent a way of Africa “pushing” the white man
out of their land.
Without the intense imagery and underlying symbolism used throughout, the book
would have less literary significance, and overall would not be an interesting read.
All devices used—including occasional allegories, biblical allusions, and similes—
have all added to the quality of the book and helped to enhance the story to
something more than a tragic tale about the age of imperialism.