Heart Of Darkness Rhetorical Analysis

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As to the literary masterpiece Heart of Darkness is reputed to be, the novel is set up to be exactly the such. The story begins with an unidentified third-person narrator aboard a ship called the Nellie riding along the river Thames. Conrad introduces the apparent protagonist, a devout seaman named Marlow. Conrad asserts an equivocal tone from the start, with Marlow being a follower of the sea, but also an unsure “wanderer,” leaving the reader convinced he will take a literal and metaphorical journey, but unsure of where it may lead and its meaning. The reader is also doubtful of how the narrator describes England as a place of conquerors who roam elsewhere to expand their influence, but Marlow’s remark about the country having “been one of the dark places of the earth” complicates things (Conrad 6). …show more content…
The fact that Marlow’s companions are reluctant to believe his statement suggests that in reality the Eurocentric civilizations thinking everyone not them are basically troglodytes, and whether or not this is accurate, is a matter of perspective. This explains why because Europeans made the most enduring maps due to their imperialistic ideals, Europe gets to be a continent, even though it is not a continent. Conrad asks, is the “enlightenment” of Eurocentric culture really a good thing? This may prove crucial to the plot and theme of the