The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Marlow, an ordinary sailor with idealistic dreams, embarks on a dark but fascinating journey as a newly hired riverboat captain, traveling along the Congo River, in search of the legendary head of the Belgian trading company. Describing the typical places and events that occurred in the Congo, Joseph Conrad wrote "The Heart of Darkness" from the first-person point of view, with Marlow as the main character. While writing about Marlow's experiences, he describes typical issues set in the late 1800s period, such as slavery, trade, and imperialism. He emphasizes these events by using thoughtful and pessimistic phrases throughout Marlow's train of thought. As Marlow travels upriver to a specific trading post where Kurtz, the chief, is staying, he encounters troubling difficulties including attack by enraged colonized people, disturbing environments of slavery and suffering, the need to repair his broken-down steamboat, and unfortunate dead, including Kurtz himself. He then returns to Europe after being seriously ill, having to tell Kurt's girlfriend the horrible news of his death. Although Joseph Conrad shows the darker side of the world, he places different messages at various points in the book, making the reader experience Marlow's emotions during his adventures and his portrayals of the different characters, which are typically found in that period. period of imperialism. Throughout the book, the reader understands what Marlow hears, sees, or hears as he is released in different locations around the Amazon River. Marlow is the narrator of... middle of paper... Heart of Darkness is a book that shows Marlow's experiences in a foreign country, while being historically accurate. It also mainly shows the dark history of colonization and its effects, including slavery and such depression. It is an interesting but symbolic book, full of Marlow's great and profound thoughts and philosophies. It really makes you reflect on different events, on such dark times. Joseph Conrad successfully conveyed his message about the darkness of the typical problems of slavery, European imperialism and the suffering of those times.Sources:• http://www.bouncing-balls.com/timeline/people/nr_leopoldmorel. htm • http://www.warchild.ca/rocked_context.asp