Any number of literary techniques could be outlined in
response to this question. One of the strongest cases, however, could be made for
Conrad's use of imagery throughout the
novella.
Conrad's descriptions help establish the
light/dark motif that is central to the novella's meaning. Darkness obviously plays an
essential role in the novella as the title suggests. Darkness is largely metaphorical
here and represents an inability to see and a lack of knowledge and insight into
situations, people, and the human condition. Light, then, we would assume would
represent the opposite. However, the matter isn't so simple. More often, light is merely
used as a contrast to darkness not so much as a direct opposite. The emphasis of
physical darkness and the diminishing light help to create the dark
mood.
In the frame story early in the novella we see the
Nellie in the mouth of the Thames, waiting for the tides to take her out to sea and away
from London--the "brooding gloom"--and into something far darker yet. It is sunset just
as Marlow begins his tale, establishing the motif throughout the novella. It is these
descriptions that begin to establish the dark mood.
And as
Marlow narrates:
"to understand the effect of [his journey up the
Congo River] on me you ought to know how I got out there, what I saw, how I went up that
river to the place where I first met the poor chap [Kurtz]. It was the farthest point of
navigation and the culminating point of my experience. It seemed somehow to throw a kind
of light on everything about me--and into my thoughts. It was sombre enough too--and
pitiful--not extraordinary in any way--not very clear either. No. Not very clear. And
yet it seemed to throw a kind of
light."
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