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"Heart of Darkness" as a Hero's Journey Certain themes can easily be picked out of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", such as the evils of man, and the destructive nature of imperialism; however, the strongest recurring motif in this novel is that of the Heroic Journey. The main character, Marlow, is the embodiment of the archetypal Hero figure, and he undergoes stages that are similar to the "Rrites of Passage"(Harris 1) that form a common pattern in much of western literature. The basis for the novel is that Marlow feels called to his own, personal ‘journey' to discover something that he's not quite sure of when he is summoned to work on the Congo in Africa. Before he departs, he comes to the stereotypical Threshold at the company's headquarters, where he is about to depart for the unknown. Down the Congo, on the journey itself, Marlow faces many different Challenges which test his physical, psychological, and moral capabilities. Once Marlow has proven himself worthy, he then comes to the final confrontation- he faces death and the true nature of humanity- which is the classic depiction of the Abyss part of the Hero's Journey. Marlow overcomes the ultimate challenge, and undergoes a transformation, where he gains knowle