Personification of the Landscape

Consistent with earlier descriptions, Marlow personifies the setting: sand banks run down the middle of the river “exactly as a man’s…

backbone is seen running down the middle of his back under the skin.” (59)

Evokes physicalised descriptions of native people, suggesting an….

intrinsic link between Africa and its people 🡪 as though they are all part of one homogeny. 

“the trees stood in serried ranks” (59) 

• Military language 🡪 Africa often poses as an imposing, aggressive setting, rife with the ability to corrupt. 

• This again mirrors their assumptions of the natives and their violence, which Marlow has already admitted turned out to be incorrect. 

“the face of the forest was gloomy” (59)

• Consistent with brooding expressions often attributed to Africa 

• This causes “shadow” to fall on the water. The regular imagery of shadows does suggest a darkness, but a darkness only cast when there is a source of light. Gradually the binary symbolism of light and dark is starting to blur.