The Dark Side of Man in the Heart of Darkness The concept of what it means to be human has been explored across various literatures and interpreted in many different ways. Through an intricate series of events and circumstances, as well as man's perceived superiority, Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness reveals the challenging issues of imperialism and colonialism and their devastating effects on society. As the novel's title suggests, the "darkness" illustrated is the negative human side of brutality and discrimination. The deeper meaning and implications of being "human" depend on many factors, including the surrounding environment that influences his behavior and decision-making, as well as the arrogance and feeling of superiority of the man who takes ethical actions . As expressed through the novel Heart of Darkness, humanity's surrounding environment constantly dictates behavior, both physical and emotional, depicting humanity's general weakness. For example, living in a crime-ridden area or a quiet, peaceful neighborhood, man's actions become the result of what they perceive as completely normal and rational. Knowing nothing different, humans constantly adapt to their surroundings, as their attention shifts to what they see and experience every day. In Heart of Darkness, the power of the dark Congo jungle and forest becomes quite evident with the actions of both Marlow and Kurtz, as they both resort to savage means to survive. While his environment allows him to have control over the indigenous population, the African jungle also has an obvious influence on him, as he is seen "crawling on all fours" (80). Since Kurtz had completely surrounded himself with natives, his actions involuntarily came to... middle of the paper... the final sentence of the novel illustrates this by stating: "[t]he waterway was barred by a black bank of clouds , and the still stream that led to the ends of the earth flowed darkly under an overcast sky---seeming to lead into the heart of an immense darkness" (216). This powerful quote describes how potentially negative and brutal the "dark" side of human action can be. Kurtz being the symbol of European imperialism and others who contribute to the great and thought can be thoughts and actions Although individuals have a potentially "dark" side, they have the power not to succumb to it through "dark" actions including inhumanity and brutality, as shown throughout the novel..