Heart of darkness language analysis
Heart of Darkness In this passage taken from the Heart of Darkness, the reader is given a number of intertwining themes and symbolic phrases that are presented through the use of specialized language techniques, these language techniques also help to describe the mood of the situation, and the atmosphere. Conrad has used a number of different techniques too communicate his idea's across to the reader. Some of the themes portrayed in the section include, many metaphors based on the forest, such as the forests power and youthfulness, immensity, and the contrasting natures of mankind and the forest. The atmosphere in the passage remains fairly constant throughout the passage, the darkness and gloom are suggested repeatedly, but throughout you see evidences of other atmospherically changes that occur.In the first line, "going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world" Conrad has used a simile to describe how going up the river felt. It tells
" "Cut off from finding everything you had known once, somewhere, far away, in another existence perhaps. He uses the language techniques, such as metaphors and personification to subtlety suggest certain idea's about Conrad's underlying themes, they give the reader the mood of the moment, through terms such as gloom, and mystery, we get an idea of what the situation must be like for Marlow. The atmosphere in this section is bright, lurid, hot, seemingly unpleasant, as Marlow says that the brilliance of the sun gave him no joy, even without the darkness, the nature around him does not provide a comfortable living place. Conrad makes it seem, as though the forest is fighting the man, as though the forest does not want the main character to reach the end of the river, " you lost your way on that river, as you would in the desert. To implement these ideas in this situation Conrad has used personification, to give the forest words that people immediately associate power with; big trees were kings. As Conrad describes his environment, it takes on almost a supernatural element, that it is not meant for this world, "this strange world of plants of water of silence" as though this is the first time this person has encounted such things. He then stresses the darkness of the forest, yet also the heat and light, using words such as gloom, but also brilliance of the sunshine, and how the animals sun bake on the side of the river. Throughout the passage Conrad continually stresses the immensity and power the forest possesses, using words such as impenetrable and thick, giving the reader a sense that Conrad's character is in awe of the natural wonder that surrounds him. us that the forest, the further you progressed from the beginning, the further away from civilization, and the present you found yourself in. It seems as though the forest is a superior force to Conrad's character, as it "watches him at his monkey tricks" as though Marlow is inferior, that his quest is not worthy of the powerful forests attention, that he is just playing around with his monkey tricks, as the forest watches in disdain. The quote the line a sense of isolation, as though he is traveling into the unknown. This passage sums up Conrad's entire work, in that it uses elegant language to communicate his ideas to the reader, his underlying themes are dominantly about nature, the forest. He is giving us an example of how the forest is its own master, how powerful it is. " By using this type of short staccato language, he gives the sense of confusion that he is in a different reality; he is in the grip of the forest, in the grip of its power. Conrad goes further to explain that the vegetation rioted and that the big trees were kings.
Common topics in this essay:
Heart Darkness,
language techniques,
using words,
heart darkness,
throughout passage,
power forest,
darkness gloom,
underlying themes,
monkey tricks,
conrad's character,
conrad personification,
|
Acceptance Essays
