In Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses Marlow's solitary journey and spiritual change as a setting for his underlying subject matter, the notion of Empire. It is therefore incorrect to say that the novel is "of an essentially solitary journey involving profound spiritual change." Heart of Darkness explores many themes, one of which is the spiritual change of Marlow, but more importantly the novel is one that questions the notion of European Empire and colonialism. By examining the context of the novel, exploring the different layers in which the novel may be read, the focus of the novel through Conrad's style of language, use of language techniques and understanding the purpose for which the novel is written, it is clear that...