You might be wondering what a motif actually is; well it's the subject matter which is played out throughout the story. What motif will I be highlighting in my paper? I have chosen the River.

Marlow has a tendency of referring to the river. For example he says "going up the river is like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted and the big trees were rings." What Marlow means is it's a form of remembrance of how things were; abundant and dominative. Throughout Heart of Darkness one is educated on the true meaning and symbolism the river has. We find out very quickly it is more than just a river.

Marlow later says "you lose your way on the river like you would in a desert." Marlow is placing attention on the size and mystery of the river. The river is a...