Narrative Structure, Technique, and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1902) is a semi-autobiographical novel in the form of a frame narrative (a story within a story). And to grasp the true meaning and purpose of the novel, it must be read not only as an adventure story, but also as a social critique of imperialism and an exploration of the human spirit and human morality. The novel explores the problematic of humanity’s inner savagery, hence the title Heart of Darkness. To better convey his message to the reader, Conrad creates a mode of narration in which the style and structure are well organized. Heart of Darkness is an extremely complex novel that comments on and highlights many of the major issues related to the colonization of Africa. The narrative structure is usually described as the structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which the story is presented to the reader. Conrad’s particular narrative structure allows him to make his messages clearly perceptible. My analysis will focus on three main areas: Ifirst discuss the narrative structure of the novel, then I talk about the narrative techniques in the novel and finally I analyze the symbolism in the novel. Keywords: Novel, Narrative, Narrative Style, Narrative Structure, Symbolism