Ian Leaman

Reflection on Heart of Darkness

As the Nellie sails down the Thames, Marlow begins to speak to any one on board who will listen. His audience is comprised mostly of Europes elite, such as a doctor, lawyer, and C.E.O. Marlows story is recounted by an anonymous listener on the boat. Through the anonymous listener, Joseph Conrad talks about Marlows trip into the Belgian Congo and what he discovers. In Heart of Darkness the anonymous listener helps to show the changes that Marlow has gone through while on his trip. The first thing that is clear through the anonymous listener, is Marlows isolation from the rest of European civilization. Conrad shows this through his use of a frame story. Whenever it becomes clear that the anonymous listener is the one recounting the story, Marlow can always be seen sitting away from the rest of the crew. Through this, and the crew members disbelief at some of the things Marlow tells them, Conrad uses the anonymous listener as a vehicle to show the gap between Marlow and the rest of the crew, and through them, his gap with the rest of European civilization. This isolation occurs from what Marlow has learned inside of the Congo. As he travels up the river to find Kurtz, Marlow discovers that almost every European in the Congo broke down, once removed from external restraints. He recounts countless examples of this happening, such as the riverboat captain he was supposed to replace. A very kind and gentle man back in Europe, the captain was killed after he would not stop beating a tribal chief over a chicken. The pinnacle of this breakdown when away from western civilization is Kurtz. Back in Europe, Kurtz was a great man, but after time

spent in the jungle with no societally imposed rules, he caves into his darker side and joins with the natives. Through the anonymous listener, Conrad highlights Marlows obsession with Kurtz. Marlow does not know how to feel about Kurtz. Before ever meeting Kurtz, Marlow recounts his interactions with people who have talked about Kurtz while he was traveling up the river. By the time he is nearing Kurtz, Marlow has a very specific idea of what he thinks he will be like. Upon finding Kurtz, Marlow expresses his shock at what he discovers. He finds, that although Kurtz is a genius, and an amazing human being, just like the rest of the Europeans, he caved in to his heart of darkness. Marlow finds Kurtz sick and emaciated from prolonged exposure to the jungle. In the novel, Conrad uses the anonymous listener to show the reader Marlows isolation and enlightenment from his experiences in the Belgian Congo. Through the anonymous listener, Conrad also shows Marlows obsession with Kurtz and what it teaches him about society. Marlow learns that although Europeans like to think of themselves as civilized, when taken out of society, we are less civil than cannibals. This, as well as other information, enlightens Marlow but in the process isolates him from his peers.