Heart of Darkness

     I think one of the major factors that contributes to Heart of Darkness being a psychological novel is the way that Conrad so distinctively describes every aspect of what is being seen or told in Marlow's story. Marlow clearly saw and went through some very unpleasant situations while he was working and residing in the Congo, and Conrad does not skimp on the details whatsoever. In looking at the way that he describes the natives that he sees in the "grove of death," we can feel a real sense of uneasiness and sympathy for the individuals who have crawled there to die. Conrad does not just say that the black figures were very skinny and bony. Instead he says that the bones and joints in the figures looked similar to "knots in a rope." Also the way that he describes the eyes of the figure who is closest to him makes the reader feel as if they were actually sitting there watching this man die. You can literally see "...kind of blind, white flicker in the depths of the orbs, which died out slowly." Because Conrad uses such descriptive and distinct language, it causes the reader to form very vivid mental images, which in turns starts to produce many other thoughts and feelings inside of us. For example, it makes you start to wonder what you would do in a situation like the one that is described in the novel. Would you try and help all of the figures who are slowly starving to death in the shade or would you simply just leave them be and let them slowly die in peace? Would you try and rebel against the authorities in charge who are ultimately murdering the natives or would you eventually form the same mindset that these mysterious black figures are in fact the criminals and enemies on this unknown piece of land? This is exactly what is meant by the term "psychological novel." When you read Heart of Darkness, it is impossible to not feel completely consumed and immersed in the text and begin to think such profound thoughts about yourself.
     Marlow was clearly different from the other white men that he encountered in the Congo. He did observe what was going on in this isolated world, and yet he also seems to know that it is wrong. He doesn't seem to agree with the colonization of these people and their homeland. He clearly felt uncomfortable with the things that he saw while he was there. He seems especially tormented and haunted by it all--if he weren't I don't think he would be telling this story in such a vivid account, especially when he is not even sure if the others are still awake listening to him. He is telling the story for more therapeutic reasons rather than just to pass the time. The way that Marlow portrays the colonizers makes them seem completely unjust and arrogant. Especially with the way he describes their clothing and the things found in their personal huts. The accountant complains because he has to listen to the groans of a sick man, while out in the darkness of the wilderness, multitudes of natives huddle together in the shade to die quietly and peacefully. Conrad and Marlow both are portraying the colonization of this area in a very negative manner, and I don't blame them in the least.