The Mind of Man in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Essay

The Mind of Man in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad The changes take place inside you know the doctor warns Marlow in Heart of Darkness (9). Joseph Conrad, the author of Heart of Darkness, uses the words of the doctor to warn the readers of the changes Marlow faces on his journey. This journey was a physical journey to the heart of the Congo River, but it was also a journey into the depths of his own mind. As Marlow encounters three stations along the Congo River, he encounters three stations or levels in his mind. These levels in the mind have labels from Freudian psychology-the Superego, the Ego, and the Id. Conrad develops the three physical stations as the psychological stations of the Superego, the Ego, and the Id. The†¦show more content†¦It starts with Marlows Superego at the fringe of who he is and what he wants society to see about him. After the Outer Station, Marlow reaches the Central Station and his Ego. The Ego is the personality component that is conscious, most immediately controls behavior, and is most in touch with external reality (American Heritage Dictionary). The Ego consciously makes decisions for whole mind. The Ego also helps to control the Id, or the primal urges. It keeps the moral standards of the mind and is self-control. At the Outer Station, Marlow tells his audience, I went to work the next day, turning, so to speak, my back on that station. In that way only it seemed to me I could keep my hold on the redeeming facts of life (20). In Marlows case, turning his back on the station, or self-control, helped him to remain human. If he had not turned his back on self-control, he would have become empty and void of life as the manager was. He would not have been able to see anything good in life. At this stage of his journey, Marlow is struggling with keeping control of his urges, but he can do it be cause he is still at the Central Station, where his Ego still has control of his Id. The Id is the final level in Marlows journey to the depths of his soul. Marlow reaches his Id when he reaches the Inner Station and Kurtz. The entire journey was undertaken in order to reach this goal. The Id isShow MoreRelated Realization of Inner Evil in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1562 Words   |  7 PagesRealization of Inner Evil in Heart of Darkness    It was said by Thomas Moser that in order to truly be alive one must recognize the truth, the darkness, the evil and the death within (Moser, 156). Joseph Conrads novel, Heart of Darkness, goes very far to explain and prove this statement. During the novel the reader takes part in a spiritual and inner journey through Africa and the mind of the protagonist, Marlow. 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