Heart of Darkness

It can be said that a certain degree of darkness lies within every person,

but this darkness will not surface unless given the correct environment. The

darkness, however, can emerge and ultimately destroy the person if not checked by reason. If one's inner darkness does surface, the victim then is given the

opportunity to reach a point in personal growth, and to gain a sense of self-

knowledge from it. That is, when one's darkness appears, one must learn from

this experience how he or she can prevent similar results from occurring in the

future. It is ultimately through self-knowledge that we gain the power to

defeat our inner darkness, and all of its elements. Just as everyone has the

potential for evil within themselves, we too have the potential for true

goodness. In many literary works the author attempts to exemplify the evil

which lies within by showing many characters which have been, or are being

overcome by their inner darkness. In the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph

Conrad we see how Marlow's journey into his ultimate evil, into his inner self,

can be a positive experience. By contrasting Marlow with Kurtz, who represents

the absolute evil, we can see the two products of an inner evil which has

emerged. Marlow, who defeats his evil, and gains self-knowledge, and Kurtz, who

is defeated by his darkness and falls prey to its wrath. In William Golding's

Lord of the Flies the author points out how easily people can be over taken by

the darkness, how the potential for good can be destroyed by the evil, but

ideally how good will triumph. Through an examination of these two works we can

see how the darkness within, given the correct environment will surface. The

circumstances which eventually cause the appearance of the inner darkness in

these two novels stems from the lack of civility, the true test, or journey

which every life contains, and finally the product of evil which lies in all of

us, either through acts of commission or omission.

When people lack the aspect of civility in their lives they too will lack

the restraints and barriers it has on one's inner evil. Civility, in essence,

provides the basic structure for good. Through laws, structure, and general

order, goodness then, for the most part will be the end product. Therefore a

lack of civility would result in a lack of order, morals, and laws, leaving

chaos to over power. The desolate island in The Lord of the Flies represents a

lack of civility. Without parents, law makers, and guardians the darkness which

surfaces is inevitable. Piggy said in a feared state upon this realization:

"This is an island? Well I think this is an island! That's a reef out in the

sea. That means we are all alone! Perhaps there aren't any grownups anywhere"