The theme of civilization versus savagery is central to Heart of Darkness. It is also closely related to the theme of light versus dark, or white versus black. Light and dark traditionally represent good and evil respectively, and civilization is generally viewed as good while savagery is normally seen as evil. This symbolism is not new however, these connotations have been present in society for centuries. We refer to the Middle Ages, when science and …showed first 75 words of 1395 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1395 total…now covered in gloom leads into a foreboding darkness, as if the very site has been clouded by the eerie uneasiness of Marlow's story. "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed sombre under an overcast sky - seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness" (Conrad 2263). The river, which once led to civilization, now leads into darkness.