Pure Horror in Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Pure Horror in tinder of Darkness In Heart of Darkness it is the white invaders for instance, who are, nigh without exception, embodiments of blindness, selfishness, and cruelty and even in the cognitive domain, where such positive phrases as to enlighten, for instance, are conventionally opposed to negative ones such as to be in the dark, the traditional expectations are reversed. In Kurtzs painting, as we have seen, the effect of the torch light on the face was sinister (Watt 332). Ian Watt, author of Impressionism and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness, discusses about the destruction set upon the Congo by Europeans. The destruction set upon the Congo by Europeans led to the cry of Kurtzs last words, The wickedness The shame The mutual exclusiveness in Heart of Darkness has been critiqued to represent different aspects of situations in the book. However, Kurtzs last words The horror The horror refer, to me, to magnify only three major aspects. The horror m agnifies Kurtz not being able to restrain himself, the colonizers greed, and Europes darkness. Kurtz comes to the Congo with noble intentions. He thought that each tusk station should stand like a radio beacon light, offering a better way of life to the natives. He was considered to be a universal genius he was an orator, writer, poet, musician, artist, politician, ivory producer, and chief agent of the ivory companys Inner Station. yet, he was also a hollow man, a man without basic integrity or any sense of social responsibility. Kurtz issues the feeble cry, The horror The horror and the man of vision, of poetry, the emissary of pity, and science, and progress is gone. The jungle closes round (Labrasca 290). Kurtz being cut off from civilization reveals his dark side. Once he entered within his heart of darkness he was shielded from the light. Kurtz turned into a thief, murderer, raider, persecutor, and to climax all of his other shady practices, he allows himself t o be worshipped as a god. E. N. Dorall, author of Conrad and Coppola Different Centres of Darkness, explains Kurtzs liberation of his identity. Daring to face the consequences of his nature, he loses his identity