In Heart of Darkness, there is a real contrast between what is light and what is dark. These contrasts work within the reality of what is considered civilized and uncivilized. The light representing civilization or the civilized side of the world and the dark representing the uncivilized or savage side of the world.

Throughout the book, there are several references to these two contrasts. In Conrad's novel, black and white have the usual connotations of evil and good.

From the very start of the novel, there are signs of what is to come. The colors of items and objects help to foreshadow the tragedy that is to come to Marlow. There are a couple of instances in particular that elude to the difficult future Marlow will face. Further along in the novel there are many more examples of the contrast between light and dark.

The ending of the novel also proves to continue to contrast between light and dark, especially when speaking of the savages Marlow encounters when attempting to save Kurtz. The ultimate contrast of light and dark occurs with the death of Kurtz on the boat after he is saved and being brought back down.

The images in the final chapter are perhaps some of the most illuminating in the area of defining light with civilization and dark with the uncivilized. When Marlow finally reaches the camp where kurtz is to be located, he finds a reality that is not civilized. The first sign he encounters is the broken roof on Kurtz house. It has a "black hole." Also, Marlow encounters "black heads" on Kurtz's fence.

This is once again a representaion of dark colors being assocaited with all that is ugly, bad, and uncivilized. He also shows the savegery of the black natives when describing how they protect the yellow ivory.

As Marlow explores the outter post, he comes across many disturbing but excellent examples of civilized and uncivilized cultures and the colors that are used to represent them. While wondering around, he runs across a work camp. The conditions of the "black shapes" is one of great despair. He describes them as people who have withdrawn from the work camps in order to die. He says they are "half affected within the dim light." This reference continues to support the idea of light being good and dark being evil. As the workers retreat into the light to die from the dark caves, they feel relief from their pain. Marlow also calls these people "black shadows of disease and starvation." This quote reinforces the idea that blacks and the dark images they project are uncivilized and nothing to be wishing for.

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