HOD Response #3

The title of this section is “Into the Heart of Darkness”. In class, we discussed how there is both the literal and symbolic meaning to this title. Literally, Marlow, along with others, are on their way to the center of Congo. The symbolism part of this title is that everyone has a heart of darkness and they darkness of the human soul is being explored.

Major events within this section include Marlow hearing his Uncle and the Station Manager discussing Kurtz. He overhears the Station Manager say that Kurtz intends to come to Congo to make some changes like turning the stations into these places for civilization and for improvement. Kurtz also wants to take the manager’s position. He goes on including that Kurtz may even die because of a disease. The Uncle and Station Manager actually want Kurtz to die so he does not take over the Station and put in his so called “moral” improvements.

Later on in the section, Marlow has these reflections of his Uncle because he has gone into the forest without having a good explanation of why he is going. Marlow says, “It was so startling that I leaped to my feet and looked back at the edge of the forest, as though I had expected an answer of some sort to that black display of confidence” (Conrad, 33). Conrad allows Marlow to refer to his Uncle with the use of the black theme because his Uncle (in Marlow’s opinion) has became a person with an evil spirit.