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An inward journey

 

            
             In the second decade of the twentieth century, the ideas of the great psychologist Sigmund Freud began to influence the novelists. Dreams, fantasies and obsessions became significant aspects of modern characters. The new realism lay not in plot but in complexities of individual psychology. The writers experimented with form and time of narration, which is regarded as a part of the character's consciousness.
             The journey in Heart of Darkness covers not only thewaters? filling our physical world, but also the contradictoryocean? which exists in the heart of man and all of mankind. Through Marlow's somewhat fanatical eyes we view the enigma that is humanity, and the blurred line between light and dark. It is a voyage into the deepest parts of the human heart and mind, leading to an illuminating discovery (epiphany), enlightenment, and finally turning downwards into the crevices of a hell existing within each and every one of us. Although Conrad depicts a journey into the Congo, through Marlow, his use of symbolism and wordplay show that it is something much more profound.
             The Heart of Darkness as a whole is one big metaphor, whose numerous examples can be either complicated or self-evident. Almost every action, object, and character in Conrad's book has a deeper, more relevant meaning behind it, serving to bring the reader closer to the conclusion that the voyage is indeed an inward one. The first major indication of this is the posture of Marlow as he recounts his journey into the Congo. According to the narrator, "he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower." This lotus position is one typically used for meditation, which is in fact defined as a spiritual journey promoted by a purity of thought. Successful meditation leads to a more wise understanding of human nature and allows one to observe the secret workings of the mind. Therefore Marlow's pose shows his true destination, suggesting from the very first pages that his journey is actually within himself.


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