civilization and savagery in conrad’s

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CIVILIZ TION ND S V GERY IN CONR DS

HE RT OF THE D RKNESS

WITH SOME REFERENCES TO GOLDINGs

LORD OF THE FLIES

BY

Enas Subhi

Asst instructor

English language dept

College of education for women

2010


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Civilization and Savagery in Conrads

Heart of the Darkness

With Some References to Goldings

Lord of the F lies

byEnas Subhi

Asst. instructor

English language dept. College of education for women

AbstractJoseph Conrads Heart of the Darkness (henceforth HOD)

implies that every man has a heart of darkness that is usually

drowned out by the light of civilization and that same heart mighthas the tendency to revert to savagery. Man is able to throw off the

restraints of civilization and may be able to de-evolve into

primitive state. This research will shed light on the relationshipbetween civilization and savagery as it is reflected on the

relationship between the civilized man and the barbarity that boils

beneath the surface of every human being. Marlow and Kurtz are

two opposite examples of the human condition. Marlow represents

the civilized soul that has not been drawn back into savagery by adark, alienated jungle while it is Kurtz who has totally followed his

own intrinsic desires with a protective, civilized environment. So

this research will tackle all circumstances that lead to mans

deterioration towards the worst condition in life. Joseph Conrads

HOD sets beautifully the setting and symbols that clarifies its

major theme namely civilization and savagery. At the same level

of success, William Golding presents another picture of

civilization and savagery in his novel Lord of the Flieswhich willbe mentioned at the last part of the research in a short comparative

study.


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1.1 Forward

Joseph Conrads HOD shows the disparity between the

European ideal of civilization and the reality of it. It displays the

domination, torture, exploitation and dehumanization of the

African people. Although the European believes that they have hadreached the height of civilization, yet the reader of this novel can

picture how savage the European seem. They are cruel and devious

towards the very people they are supposed to be helping. Joseph

Conrad will portray the theme of civilization and savagery smartly

through using certain setting that would exhibit his theme clearly.

Moreover, he has depicted certain settings and symbols torepresent his abstract ideas and concepts about civilization and

savagery.

1.2 The Setting

In HOD, each device used by the author adds to the theme of

the novel. The setting, for example, is a vessel where the authorpours his ideas concerning the theme of civilization and savagery

beautifully. Robert S. Ryf comments that:

One of the principle things one sees in Conrads fiction is the

relationship between man and his environment. Put visually, this is thelinkage, by image and symbol between inner and outer landscapes.

External landscape is itself, in most cases, symbolic. Whether river or sea,jungle or sprawling city, it serves as representation of the inscrutable and

labyrinthine complexity of human experience and the power of theirrational in Conrads universe.

1

Conrad places the novels setting on a steamboat on a river

near London, on the Thames River, the Nellie, a cruising yawl,

swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest

2

.Events of the story also take place in Brussels at the Companys

offices and the Congo, then a Belgian territory. To get a full grasp

of the novella, one must first undertake the history behind theCongo and its colonization by the Belgians. Ian Watts puts it

clearly saying that:


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As a result of ruthless colonial exploitation, involuntary servitude, anddirect violence, the native people live in an impoverished state. As many

as six million Africans died during the brutal rubber trade, overseen by theBelgians. Many are forced to be carriers, for people on jungle

expeditions that need to move cargo from one place to another. Thesepackages they carry on their backs, on rough foot paths through the jungle,

weigh between 40 and 70 pounds. There are few, if any, breaks to stop andrest. It is a hard life, but, as far as helping to smuggle ivory out, or carry

supplies into the jungle nation. The recurring theme of darkness (a symbolfor the reality of the society and fear) perpetuate the action, and ultimately

envelops the characters that struggle with this dilemma such as Kurtz. Themessage is the same however: colonization destroys at the native peoples

expense; close-minded European views perpetuate racism in these nations,and evil is a driving and yet sometimes unnoticed force

3.

The Thames River is called a gateway to civilization-

because it leads to the civilization of London. It is important to

note that the city is always described in stark contrast with its dark

surroundings, which are so amorphous as to be either water or

land. Darkness is always associated with getting deeper in that

jungle or talking about uncivilized beings. Getting there (in the

jungle) reminds Marlow that London itself was one of the darker

places of the earth4 before the Romans forced civilization upon

them. Marlow adds that darkness was here yesterday5. In HOD,Conrad makes it clear that though the setting is the Congo and

more generally Africa, but then we remember that Marlow is

telling or recalling the story of his own travel once on the Thamesin England which, much like the Congo, is also a river. It is almost

as if the Thames River is made parallel to the Congo River. In partone, Conrad mentions that England was a place of primitive

darkness6. Then he declares it clearly at the last part when he says

that the Thames River leads into the heart of an immense darkness.Conrads HOD is imbued or burdened with deeper and more

profound meaning. It is not about the physical darkness of the

Africans moreover, it is about the moral darkness of theEuropeans. Rolf A. F. Witzsche states it beautifully suggesting

that:


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Nature of the black of the Heart of Darkness is like a black hole in spacesucks surrounding planets into its pit of gravity sucks all that is human out

of society by which civilization becomes devoid of life and disintegratesinto nothing7.

Conrad despises the Europeans arising strength from theweakness of others though he believes that the Europeans have

right to conquer the earth and take it away from those who have

different complexion8. Ian Stronach stresses the idea of

imperialisation as a central need for those European and/or white

and insists that HOD is visually performed as a kind of neo-

imperial subconscious even as it is simultaneously denied inwords

9.

Successfully, the narrator portrays the river sand banks,marshes and forests. He invites the reader all the time to feel likehe is there also through vivid description and vital images. Marlow

states it fascinated me as a snake would a bird.. a silly little

bird10

and he adds that the river is dead in thecenterfascinatingdeadlylike a snake

11.

Conrad portrayal of his setting is overwhelming. The setting

is a mixture of contradictory pictures. There the earth seemed

unearthlythere you could look at anything monstrous andfree12

. He personifies the river so many times arguing that he has

a treacherous appeal to the lurking death, to the hidden evil, to theprofound darkness of its heart

13. This place and such atmosphere

shed its harmful effect on the human psyche as there is harmony

between humanity and nature. Getting deeper into that river wouldbring feeling of uncomfortable and uneasiness inside the

characters. Marlow declares that Going up the river was like

travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the worldthe air was

warm, thick, heavy, and sluggish. There was no joy in thebrilliance of sun shine

14. The setting here foreshadows the coming

events and actions. Marlow ensures that there was something

ominous in the atmospheresome conspiracysomething not

quite right15

.


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It is clear that this place does not welcome the new intruders

though it seems smiling16

sometimes but it is frowning17

at the

same time it is inviting the beholder whispering Come and find

out18

for it is the true ivory-country19

. What matters in that place

is money only. People go there only to turn an oversea empire,and make no end of coin by trade

20. There people turn to be devils

of violence, of greed and of hot desires. Thus turn to exploit the

natives like ants21

who are unfortunately drawn in moral

darkness. John Storey explains that:

This moral darkness of Africa, we learn later is not the simple darkness ofthe ignorance of the natives, but of the white men who blinded themselves

and corrupted the natives by their claim to be the light bearers. On this

return to Europe, Marlow finds it shrouded in the darkness symbolized byAfrica and the mean and greedy phantoms sauntering on it22.

In spite of Conrads sever attacks and blames on Europeans

greediness and selfishness, he as a noble white man who defends

and justifies some of the British behaviours in the Congo:

Conrad makes an extraordinary suggestion that England, for no other

reason did that than to protect its own commercial interests, shouldintervene against Belgian activities in the Congosometimes Conrads

response to Belgium imperialism is a curious mixture of moral outrageand commercial concern23.

Obviously, darkness in HOD is associated with savagery,while light is associated with civilization, but it is not what we find

truly after close reading to the underline meanings of words.

Civilization is superficial as is seen with the General Manager whohas a stealthy smile. He does not inspire love or fear. He only

inspires uneasiness. The revealing of these mens predatory naturepoints to the theme of inchoate savagery. Conrad suggests thatthere are integral connections among mind, body, and nature,

which underlines the issue here; the lines between the civilized and

the savage are blurred. The two men propose a very savage


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solution to a seemingly civilized problem of economic

competition.

The Congo has a metamorphic effect on the Europeans at

least in mind and perhaps also in body. Marlow sees the evil uncle:

extend his short flipper of an arm for a gesture that seemed to beckon

with a dishonouring flourish before the sunlight face of the land atreacherous appeal to the lurking death, to the hidden evil, to the profound

darkness of its heart24.

This is one of the few instances in which a white man is

animalized in this novella: The land is a living entity, one whichhas the potential to create evil, or to merge man back in nature.

The properties observed by the manager are all completelyfaked. Marlow takes this as an illustration of his hollowness. Oneof Marlows more personally distressingthoughts is his realization

that the monstrous tendencies of the black cannibals are not

inhuman tendencies, after all; the white men possess them in

different form. The African land serves to equalize persons in that

what often matters most are wit and determination.

Thus, the Europeans are far more savage than those whom

they label as such.

1.3 The Character

Civilization and savagery are embodied in HOD characters. It

is clear that to the Europeans the native inhabitants of the Congo

are subhuman; they are savages in the basest sense of the word.

Marlows aunt, who uses her influence to help him gaining

employment with the company, speaks of those ignorant

millions

25

who need to be saved from their horrid ways

26

.During Marlows stay at the central station a native is beaten for

supposedly setting fire to one of the company hats. His cries elicit

no pity from one of the company workers, who remarks: what arow the brute makes! [] Serve him right. Transgression-

punishment-bang! Pitiless, pitiless. Thats the only way.27

The


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mans remarks suggest that the stations agent agents see the

natives as no better than animals. Even Marlow buys into to this

line of thinking, for he likens the native in charge of running the

steamboats boiler to a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather

hat walking on his hind legs.28Marlows the main character in HOD, often recognizes the

European dehumanization of the Africans. As Marlow approaches

the company offices of the outer station he sees a scene of

inhabited devastation.29

He catches sight of a chain gang of half

starved, animal-like Africans. Trying to rationalize the situation,

Marlow tells himself that these Africans are criminals, andsomehow deserve their late. As he descends further down the hill,

he comes to a gloomy place-what he calls the Grove of Death30

.Many Africans lie dying, their bodies frail and starved. He thenturns and quickly removes himself from this horrible place. When

Marlow reaches the main building he encounters the accountant

dressed in nicely starched ironed cloths, a complete contrast fromthe dying Africans outside. While Marlow is talking to the

accountant, a sick man groans in the background. The accountant

is so agitated by the interruptions that he says, when one has got

to make correct entries, one comes to hate those savageshatethem to death.31

That leads to the following question who are the

real savages here? Although the clothing, money, and overallappearance of the Europeans may look civilizing, their hearts are

dark with deception. Yet the novel depicts these savages in a far

more sympathetic light. For example, Marlow hires a group ofcannibals to help run the boat. Some of them cut wood, one

tends the boilers, and one steers the boat. Early in the journey

upriver, the cannibals main source of food, a hunk of rotting

hippopotamus meat, is thrown over board because of its offensivesmell. Thus, the cannibals are very hungry. It is true that when the

boat is fog-bound and the cannibals hear the loud cries from the

forest, they want to capture these other natives so they can eat

them. However, Marlow marvels over the cannibals tremendousrestraint. He notes that the cannibals outnumber the company men


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thirty to five and he admits that they are strong, powerful men

who could easily overwhelm them, yet they dont attempt toharm

the company men. Such restraint is the mark of a civilized man,

not an animal. In addition, the natives demonstrate far more

concern for the welfare of Kurtz than do most of his country men.True, they worship him, an act that would be seen as evidence of

their uncivilized or backward nature, yet they actively work to

ensure his safety.

Consequently, civilization and savagery is found in both

Europeans and the Africans as well. A powerful meditation on the

relationship between civilization and savagery JosephConrads HOD reflects on the relationship between the civilized

man and the barbarity that boils, beneath the surface of everyhuman being. Seduced up the Congo River by spellbinding English

prose, the reader is immersed in a world stripped of all order where

chaos ensues and all civilized intentions are crushed before the

vengeful aspect of the heart of the land itself. It is a world ofbeauty and terror, frightening and fascinating, every second

plunging the reader into a strange world of plants, water, and

silence.32

There one might wrestle with death. Marlow states that

he contest one can imagine.

33

Then, he adds that:

It takes place in an impalpable grayness, with nothing underfoot, withnothing around, without spectators, without glamour, without glory,

without the great desire of victory, without the great fear of defeat in asickly atmosphere of tepid skepticism, without much belief in your over

right, and still less in that of your adversary.34

Marlow believes that Kurtzs immersion in the wilderness has

fundamentally changed him. Living deep in the Congo, among the

savages and far from the structured life of society, Kurtz haslearned some deep, dark secret about the nature of life. It is a secret

that most people either cannot or will not hear. We know that,

initially at least, Kurtz is neither a bitter man nor a misanthrope.His report to the International Society for the Suppression of

Savage Customs begins on a very humanitarian note. He has


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altruistic motives and great hopes for the companys work; he

believes that Each station should be like a beacon on the road

toward better things, a center for trade of course but also

humanizing, improving, instructing. In essence, Europeans

coming to the Congo can have a positive impact on the region andits inhabitants. We also learn that Kurtz is a cultured man: he

writes and recites poetry. The Russian tells Marlow about Kurtz

own35

poetry which enlarged (his) mind36

. Not only that but he

paints, and he is a musician also. In this way, Kurtz is an emissary

of western culture. He buys into the notion that Europe can help to

civilize the Congo. Yet, by the end of the report, after considerabletime spent in the wild, Kurtz concludes that Europeans must

Exterminate allthebrutes!37

In spite of Kurtzs moral darkness which is an

impenetratable38

one, but he was victorious as well. Marlow in the

third part of the novel declared that Kurtz has achieved a moral

victory.39

Kurtz has succeeded with the Africans they adoredhim.

40 He himself has ordered the attack to be made on the

steamer because he hated sometimes the idea of being taken

away.41

Kurtz impact on the white people is great also. The

manager considers him to be an exceptional man of the greatestimportance to the company.42

The Africans obedience to Kurtz

frightens the company, they are afraid of his mental changes.Mental changes are an important issue in HOD. Throughout his

journey, Marlow is afraid of these changes. He always recalls the

doctors note about that when the later states that it would beinteresting for science to watch the mental changes of individuals

on the spot43

. Kurtzs mental changes have led the manager to

believe that Mr. Kurtz has done more harm than good to the

company.44Another white character with whom Marlow proves his

victory is the Russian who ensures that the savages are simple

people.45

For Kurtz, the Russian and Marlow also, the Africans or

the black shapes46

, as they all then, are not criminals, not


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enemies they were nothing earthly nownothing but black of

disease and starvation, laying confusedly in the greenish gloom.47

In HOD, Conrad uses light and darkness as a principle

element. Kurtzs impenetratable darkness is discovered by

Marlow who is an agent of light as Robert S. Ray beautifully putsit:

Aware of the darkness in himself and fellow man, he recognizes the powerof the irrational and the presence of the ineffable. He sees at first-hand

mans potential for reversion into total darkness, but he sees as well theflicker of light which is the moral vision and which, if only briefly, can

arrest the darkness.48

1.4 Civilization and Savagry as a linkage between Conrads Hear

of the Darknessand GoldingsLord of the Flies(henceforth LOF).As in Conrads HOD, the central concern of LOF is the

conflict between two competing impulses that exist within all

human beings: the instinct to live by values, act peacefully, follow

moral command, and value the good of the group against the

instinct to gratify ones immediate desire, act violently to obtain

supremacy over others, and enforce ones will. This conflict might

be expressed in a number of ways: civilization vs. savagery, order

vs. chaos, law vs. anarchy, or in broader terms, good vs. evil.

Throughout both novels, Conrad and Golding associate theinstinct of civilization with good and the instinct of savagery with

evil.

In Goldings LOF, the conflict between the two instincts isthe driving force of the novel, explored through the dissolution of

the young English boys civilized, moral, disciplined behaviour asthey accustom themselves to a wild, brutal, barbaric life in the

jungle. LOF is an allegorical novel, which means that Golding

conveys many of his main ideas and themes through symboliccharacters and objects. He represents the conflict between

civilization and savagery in the conflict between the novels two

main characters: Ralph, the protagonist, who represents order andleadership; and Jack, the antagonist, who represents savagery and

desire for power. As the novel progresses, Golding shows how


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different people feel the influences of the instincts of civilization

and savagery to different degrees. Piggy, for instance, has no

savage feelings, while Roger seems barely capable of

comprehending the rules of civilization. Generally, however,

Golding implies that the instinct of savagery is far more primal andfundamental to the human psyche that the instinct of civilization.

Golding sees moral behaviour many cases, as something that

civilization forces upon the individual rather than a natural

expression of human individuality. When let to their own devices,

Golding implies, people naturally revert to cruelty, savagery, and

barbarism.When people lack the aspect of civility in their lives, they too

will lack the restraints and barriers it has on ones inner evil.Civility, in essence, provides the basic structure for Good. Throughlaws, structure, and general order, goodness then, for the most part

will be the end product. Therefore, a lack of civility would result in

a lack of order, morals, and laws, leaving chaos to over power. Thedesolate island in JOF represents a lack of civility. Without

parents, law makers, and guardians the darkness which surfaces is

inevitable. Piggy said in a feared state upon this realization:

This is an island? Well I think is an island! Thats a reef out in the sea. Thatmeans we are all alone! Perhaps there arent any grown ups anywhere.49

It is clear that the civilization of the modern world is

unavailable on the island. Although Ralph, who represents the

aspect of order, attempt to reach a point of civility, unfortunately is

unsuccessful. He said in his struggle: weve got to have rules and

obey them. After all were not savages. Were English, and the

English are the best at everything.

50

Ironically, the very group hewas taking to broke order and formed the savage group known as

the hunters. Similarly, Piggy too represents civility. He is very

fearful of the lack of civility and scared by the hunters. He feelsthat civility and order, although the ideal route, was going to be

crushed: we cant do this, the savages, they would crush us.51

It


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is quite obvious how the potential evil in group of young boys

unavoidably arises due to the lack of restraint and order when the

darkness surfaces Jack and his group of hunters gains no self-

knowledge and therefore, can not stop their sufferings nor the evil

which takes over.A strong parallel can be drawn between the island in LOF

and the Congo in HOD. The Congo in is similarly used to

represent the absence of restraint and order. The effect which is

used exemplifies a lack of civility which in turn provides the

opportunity for the emergence of darkness. At the beginning of the

novel, Marlow begins his descent into the Congo, which presents adark image of death and suffering:

It was a thing which looked as dead as the carcass of some strange animal.I came upon more pieces of decaying machinery, and a stack of rusty rails.

To the left a clump of trees in a twisted shady spot, the ground shook.52

The capacity for evil the jungle is endless. This is illustratedthrough the natives who go mad and begin killing. Marlow

struggles but realizing his potential for good, manages to contain

his evil. Unfortunately, the result was not the same for many

others: I dont know how this would have struck the others but tome the evil was unspeakable, but not undefeatable.53

The Congo

and the lack of restraints it represents causes one to lose commonsenses. Without common senses the mind is deteriorated. It is also

left twisted and functionally useless in regards to civilized thought

or action. The power of mind in most cases is no match for the lackof order and the lack of reason for most of the Congos inhabitants.

Kurtz fells victim to this and his mind became extremely

deteriorated due to the lack of order. He eventually finds his inner

darkness come forth and essentially controls his thoughts andactions.

By comparing the two novels, it is clear how ones inner

darkness will surface without the restraints of civilization. In the

case of Jack and hunters, the children are accustomed to civility,laws and order. The fact that parents and teachers were always


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placing unwanted rules on them, probably caused an initial

enjoyment of the lack of civility so much that the growing

savageness within grew blindly. The darkness was being to rise.

This is shown through Jack when asked about the war paint he was

wearing replied. for hunting! Like in the wars, you know, dazzlepaint! We look more savage!

54 This can be compared to the

darkness which surfaced in Kurtz and the natives of the Congo;

however, their darkness was the result of greed rather than

ignorance. Unlike Jack and the hunters, the greed for money and

power by Kurtz allowed his darkness which controlled him at the

end to surface. The ongoing evil growing in Kurtz was not only aresult of the jungle, but it was shown through it as well. As he

gained more darkness the jungle thickened and becameincreasingly dangerous: as we crept on closer towards Kurtzthe snags were thickening and the water becoming

treacherous55

If civilized limits are placed upon society as a

whole, the majority of people have the opportunity to contain thedarkness within. If and when it occasionally surface then the

knowledge which is gained through a civilized life style will

contain, and defeat the individuals darkness.

It is true that every person must undergo the ultimate test atsome point of his or her life time, the test between good and evil.

This test can be as simple as small, daily difficulties, or as large asthe general principle in which one bases his or her life upon.

Although many people will fail the test which is given to them, it is

better to attempt the test and fail, than it is never to have taken it atall.

Ralph and Piggy, who also as well as representing

civility, now also represent the goodness, or the passers of this

test of life. Through the many alterations with the hunters, thosewho have failed the test, we can observe the darkness beginning to

rise. The ultimate dark figures Jack, who hasnt even attempted the

test, that is to be satisfied with ones dark life style, shows how the

journey of life presents us with the tasks and trials which weretested upon. Piggy perhaps is the character who is presented with


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the most tests. Many times he almost lost his sense and civility, but

he always prevailed. Piggy, at the verge of losing his sense

murmured Nobody knows where we are! Perhaps they knew

before but they dont know now cos well never get there!56

Not

soon after, however, Piggy regained his sensible approach to thesituation. It is impossible for one person to pass every test that life

gives them, but the important thing is that you learn from every

test, pass or fail, one must gain self-knowledge from each

altercation.

When Marlows time came to take his test, it was not

necessarily that he passed it, but more importantly he gains theself-knowledge needed in order to defeat the darkness within him.

By containing his darkness and preventing the release of his evil,he allows a certain degree of goodness to surface. The result ofones ability to contain his or her darkness does not always equal

goodness, but instead, it represents the awareness gained from each

test. The natives show through their savagery and murderous waysthat they have subsequently failed to gain the desired self-

knowledge to maintain their goodness. Kurtz can be viewed as the

character in the novel who doesnt attempt to take lifes challenges

and at length seals his dark fate. Marlows first view of Kurtzshows how the goodness and evil fail to co-exist together. Seeing

Kurtz for the first time, it was a distant glimpse:

The dugout, four padding savages, and the lone white man turning hisback suddenly on the head-quarters, on relief, on thoughts of home-

perhaps; setting his face towards the depths of the wilderness, towards hisempty and desolate station.57

Had Kurtz ever attempted the journey or test he was faced with

perhaps he may have seen things in a different light. The nativeson the other hand appear ignorant, but at the same time they appearcontent with their life styles.

The two novels can be compared in many ways according to

the characters, and the tests they take along the journey of their

lives. Piggy and Ralph can be compared to Marlow in the fact that


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they had either passed the test or clearly gained the self-knowledge

to prevent the potential darkness within themselves from escaping.

The two groups, the hunter and the natives can be similarly

compared in terms regarding the characters who attempted to take

the test but failed, an action which can, but not in these two cases,result in self-knowledge. Finally, the two symbols of true darkness,

Kurtz and Jack. The darkness within them surfaced due to that fact

that not only did they fail to take the test of life, but they appeared

to be content with the situation that this left them in.

The evil which lies within all of us has a third and final way

of showing itself. This is exemplified through acts of commissionand through acts of omission. The actions which one commits, or

fails to commit, can act as a channel in which evil or darkness willbegin to show. The dark forces which lay in Jack and his groupwere confirmed by their final direct actions. The actions which

reiterated the darkness in Jack was the murder of Piggy. The

murder was very brutal, and unnecessary. The rock that had killedPiggy had bounded into the thicket and bounced there, landing in

the middle for all to see.58

Not only had they committed the

murder but they indirectly reinforced their desire to deny

civilization, as Piggy represented this. Earlier in the novel whenJack, and the hunters, directly disregarded civilization, they

performed their first act of omission. This coupled with thesavagery they possessed, showed a distinct lack of reason and

reality, two of the key components to maintaining ones inner

goodness. Finally, the murder of Simon, who represented theChrist figure in the book, was the element which finalized Jacks

descent into irretrievable darkness.

Through the acts of commission and omission in HOD,it is

clear how the same actions, by separate people, can result indifferent consequences. Marlow and Kurtz both live within the

treacherous Congo and are involved in the sales of ivory to gain

power and wealth. The greed and stubbornness shown by the two

men is very similar, but the result divers. Due to Kurtzs innerdarkness which had raised his down fall was evident, but through


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Marlows ability to gain the self-knowledge required he was able

to prevent his evil from emerging, which in turn would lead to his

eventual demise. The natives on the other hand represent an

indirect act of omission in which they were unable to obtain any

knowledge when the evil within them begins to surface they beginto break down mentally and physically. They become fierce, then

eventually cataclysmic. They allow their inner evil to take over,

and they lose all capacity to gain any self-knowledge, which may

have averted this catastrophe.

The characters in both novels again are comparative

with respect to direct and indirect actions. Marlow and Ralph,through all the hardships and lack of civility, overcome the test of

life, and finally prevent their own actions from surfacing theirinner darkness. They are alike as they gain the essential knowledgeto prevent this potential evil from taking its course. The natives

and hunters find themselves in a situation in which, although they

have committed few actions, have by-passed the opportunity togain the smallest amount of knowledge, let alone the amount for to

prevent future evil occurrences. Finally, Kurtz and Jack through

their direct and deliberate actions place themselves in a position

where it is obvious that self-knowledge and controls them tosurface.

Conclusion:

In his novelHeart of the Darkness, Joseph Conrad asserts the

fact that every man has a heart of darkness covered by the light ofcivilization, but this darkness will not surface unless given the

correct environment. Darkness signifies many concepts inHeart of

the Darknessand also in Lord of the Flies. It is always associated

with mystery, savagery and civilized beings and setting, while lightis associated with knowledge and civilization. Self-knowledge of

ones inner darkness prevents him from getting worst

consequences. This very self-knowledge with a suitable

environment set a healthy atmosphere for civilization. Marlow,Ralph and Simon are given the opportunity by their authors to


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reach a point of personal growth by overcoming their inner

darkness. Kurtz and Roger are defeated by their own inner

darkness associated by their wrong environment. In fact,

everybody has the potential for true goodness and evilness. The

journey in both novels can symbolize a human life time. One canprevent inner darkness from surfacing if controlled by reason and

suitable environment.


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Notes

1 Robert S. Ryf, Joseph Conrad (New York &London: Columbia University Press, 1970) pp. 35-36.2 Joseph Conrad,Heart of the Darkness. (URL:http://suns.te.berkerly.edu/literature/conrad/Heartof

Darkness/by the sunsite Manager) Retreived on June 30, 2010.3 Ian Watts, Conrad in the Nineteenth Century (www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/heartof darkness.html)4 Joseph Conrad,Heart of the Darkness. Part I, p.2.5 Ibid.6 Ibid.

7 Rolf A. F. Witzsche, Discovering Infinity light. Piercing the heart of Darkness the Demands of Truth andJustice. Volume 4 (Canada: Cygni communication ltd., 2003) p.5.

8 Joseph Conrad,Heart of the Darkness, part I, p. 39 Ian Stronach, Englightenment and heart of darkness: neolimperialism in the Congo, and elsewhere (www.Esri.mmu.ac.uk/respapers/papers.pdf/Congo-pdf) p.11.

10 Joseph Conrad,Heart of the Darkness. Part I11 Ibid. part I.12 Ibid. part II.13 Ibid.14 Ibid.

15 Ibid. part I.16 Ibid.17 Ibid.18 Ibid.19 Ibid.20 Ibid.21 Ibid.22 Mohit Kumar, Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness (India. Nice Printing Press, 2006)p. 120.23

John Storely, Culture and Power in cultural studies: The Politics of Signification) Great Britain,

Edinburgh University Press Ltd., 2010) pp. 154-5.24 Conrad, part I.25 Ibid. part II.26 Ibid.27

Ibid.28 Ibid.29 Ibid. part I.30 Ibid.31 Ibid. part II.32 Ibid.33 Ibid.34 Ibid.35 Ibid. part III.36 Ibid.37

Ibid.38

Ibid.39

Ibid.40

Ibid.41 Ibid. part II.42 Ibid.43 Ibid. part I.44 Ibid. part III.45 Ibid.46 Ibid.47 Ibid. part I.48 Robert S. Ryf. P.19.
http://suns.te.berkerly.edu/literature/conrad/Hearthttp://suns.te.berkerly.edu/literature/conrad/Hearthttp://suns.te.berkerly.edu/literature/conrad/Hearthttp://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/hearthttp://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/hearthttp://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/hearthttp://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/hearthttp://suns.te.berkerly.edu/literature/conrad/Heart


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49 William Golding,Lord of the Flies(URL:http://sunsite.Berkeley.edu/literature/Golding/lord of the

flies/by Sunsit Manager). Retrieved on July 16, 2010.50

Golding. P.4.51

Ibid.52 Conrad, part I.53

Golding, p. 85.54 Ibid., p. 71.55 Conrad, part II.56 Golding, p. 36.57 Conrad, part III.58 Golding, p. 230.
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