The character of Marlow is one of literature's great observers. He sits on the deck of a ship in the Thames, telling a story about a river in Africa, connecting the two worlds in a disturbing way. This narrative technique highlights the universal nature of the themes. A Heart of Darkness PDF allows you to easily trace the parallels between the two settings. The book is a profound critique of the idea that civilization is a permanent state; instead, it suggests that barbarism is always just beneath the surface.