Comparing Heart Of Darkness And Apocalypse Now

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Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness (1899) and Francis Ford Coppola’s movie Apocalypse Now (1979) both represent the Chief Accountant and Kilgore as having similar ideals in response to their context. As both characters appear at brief moments in their texts both Coppola and Conrad have made them out to be significant figures in understanding their challenge to context. The use of listing and contrasting light and dark imagery in Marlow’s description of the accountant “ I saw a high starched collar, white cuffs, a light alpaca jacket, snowy trousers, a clear silk necktie, and varnished boots” illustrates a stark contrast between the dehumanised natives “creatures rose to his hands and knees” and the spotless white man. Conrad here reflects his context of colonialism, describing is great, or giving a sense of light to the dark. The accountant through the imagery of colonialism and juxtaposition “he was amazing, and had a penholder behind his ear”, combined with diction “I shook hands with this miracle” illustrates he’s superiority over the people of the Congo and how he is perceived by others. Kilgore in Apocalypse Now has a similar aura to the chief, this is showcased through the voice over “fire in the hole” (Kilgore didn’t crouch) and “he was one of those guys that had a weird light round him, you just knew he wasn’t going to get a scratch”.…show more content…
Conrad showcases that by appearing in a state of authority you are respected and looked up to even if your morally corrupt, this is highlighted through the metaphor “I respected the fellow… his appearance was certainly that of a hair dressers
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