Heart of Darkness is a classic short novel that tells a more mature version of a coming of age type of story. The protagonist of the book, Muldrow, learns how people and the economy work and also makes discoveries about his own sense of self. This story is so timeless because it tells the story of this man’s literal journey, which serves as a journey to really discover who he is as a person, who he is to become, and how he can be a better version of himself. The narrator gives us this sneak peak, which is almost intrusive, into Muldrow’s personal take on his own discovery of self. Although Heart of Darkness seems to be yet another coming of age story, it is set apart from the other’s because of the language and syntax and the structure the novel is told in.
First off, the story is told in the perspective of a third party narrator who tells the audience what Marlow is saying. This dynamic is like one never seen before because of the use of this somewhat pointless person serving as the storyteller of a person who is telling a story. This third party narrator gives the novel a historic and timeless story feel, such as an Aesop fable or one of Grimm’s fairytales. The audience feels like they’re witnessing a traditional story, such as one that has passed through many generations and changed with time. The structural layout of the novel makes it feel like an immersive and all-inclusive experience, as the reader continues and follows Marlow’s journey. As a reader it is interesting to wonder if the true narrator has any bias toward this story. If the narrator had some sort of bias or preference within the story, it would warp the story. Stories always change through the way they are told because, unless read out of a book, no two people will tell the story the same. In part II, Marlow’s story even gets interrupted by one of the shipmates calling the story somewhat blasphemous and unbelievable. This interruption is abrupt and shows a chop