The role of setting in stories is important in ingraining a deeper meaning and understanding to the plot as a whole. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad implements vivid imagery to create realistic scenes for the reader. These scenes also work to connote an alternate meaning, other than their literal definitions. Freud's division of the human psyche into the "id, ego, and superego," correlates directly to Marlow's journey through the jungle. The jungle represents a dark, mysterious, and primal place just as the id contains all of the repressed human memories and thoughts considered incorrect or immoral in society. So, as Marlow travels deeper in the forest, he is simultaneously traveling deeper into his subconscious searching for clarity which he ultimately finds in Kurtz.
No comments:
Post a Comment