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David Girbino
Mrs. Jindra
AP Literature
13 September 2013
A Mind Torn Asunder: A Literary Analysis of Conflicting Ambitions
Conrads novel Heart of Darkness is endowed with symbolism and allusion intended to call the
readers perception of the world-and themselves-into question. One of the most apparent methods by
which Conrad does this is with conflict of interest: the decisions Marlow must face on the river and what
implications they will carry. Marlows diverging interests highlight the fine line between the darkness and
light, forcing him to call into question what he believes is right in a world of blurred lineseach moment
of his struggle conveying the novels meaning and forcing readers to question the way they see their
world.
When Marlow reaches the Central Station in the heart of the Belgian Congo, he is forced to align
himself with one of the two forces warring over his heart; the power and wealth that would follow his
ascent to Kurtzs position as station commander, or the relief and peace of mind of his return to Europe.
His decision bore the potential to defy what society said was right; the Manager wanted Marlow to take
over the station, and financially, it would benefit him to an extreme. However, Marlow had seen the
darkness inside of these men. He saw the people they called criminals and knew them as slaves; he
watched them die while the pilgrims-embarked on their holy crusade for civilization- lived their lavish
lives. Accordingly, while Marlow had much to gain in taking Kurtzs job, he also ran a great risk of
succumbing to the darkness as Kurtz and the others had. In this, the choice to remain in Africa became
symbolic of the darkness-it represented the selfish, greedy and pretentious attitudes of the men it had
consumed. Kurtz had taken over the station with the hope of bringing western civilization and its gods to
the natives, but had been consumed by his own dark ambitions for wealth and power. The choice to leave
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the Congo, however, bore similarly heavy risks. By returning to England with Kurtzs papers, Marlow
risked angering the Company and the Belgian government. Not only would he be a security threat to the
company, but Marlow would also be forced to face a society that knew nothing of the darkness that
dwelled within their hearts. However, returning to England would also separate Marlow from the
darkness and madness clawed at his own mind in the Congo; he would come to the light by separating
himself from the materialistic greed and selfishness he had seen in mans heart.
Marlows choice to return to England in spite of money and influence he could have attained is
symbolic of the light and goodness in mans heart, becauseas Marlow realizes on the riverman is not
completely evil, but at war with the good in himself. The choice that Marlow is faced with is itself an
echo of the human condition; an immemorial struggle between the peace and depravity in the heart of
man. The choice of sides contributes greatly to the meaning of Heart of Darkness as a whole by forcing
the readers to question themselves and their own place in this ageless battle for their hearts. The light
this primitive call that men feel in the wildernessis the part of man that resists cruelty and corruption;
it is the pure, natural part of a heart that all men are born with. Conrads purpose in portraying Marlows
choice is to make readers re-assess who they are; he makes people ask themselves which side of the battle
theyre onand which one is winning. Heart of Darkness was written to make people question what can
be truly defined as right and wrong by exposing the gray areas of the world. Suddenly, the conventional
mindset of black and white, right and wrong didnt work anymore, because there were no clear answers
provided. Marlows choice is a crucial example of this; his having to choose between what was
conventionally best for him and what his heart cried for revealed the gaps in the civil/savage state of
mind. The problem that Marlow faces is a major point in the novel because it summarizes the overarching
meaning that Conrad meant to relate; in a world of grey and with a heart of darkness, man must decide
what is truly right, and what is wrong.