When reading Heart of Darkness, I can't ever get past the reading that really stresses fogginess and light vs. dark. I have yet to really figure it all out, but I think the darkness represents the unknown, covers up malicious acts yet also draws the Europeans nearer. So much is black and white, such as the girl on page 114-117, has a sharp contrast of pale skin with a black dress I remember in class when we discussed page 115, somebody (Nara I think) mentioned that the darkness of her head represented her ignorance and lack of knowledge and I have to agree. I think the distinction of mentioning that her head was dark is important in the analysis of the description.
Throughout the novel, the Europeans constantly deal with darkness whether it means traveling through fog or dealing with dark vs light civilizations. In the fog, the men hear screams but cannot determine where they are coming from, so the fear is there but cause is ultimately unknown. Also, when the Manager says the scoundrel should be hanged, his uncle says that it would be definitely possible to do so because the Congo is so far away from any "light" civilization. In this passage I think the light vs. dark comes from the savagery of the society, yet the men have not changed at all. The Europeans are constantly fighting back darkness, yet they succumb to it and act similarly to it.
I still have a lot of figuring out to do but I think this is pretty good so far
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