One element is the portrayal of the power imbalance. The colonizers in the novel have all the power over the colonized Africans. They can decide the fate of the natives, which is a typical situation in colonial times.
Heart of Darkness can be seen as a postcolonial novel because it reveals the dark side of colonialism. It shows how the so - called 'civilized' colonizers actually engage in brutal and immoral behavior in the colonies. For example, the exploitation of native people and resources.
The frame - story structure helps in highlighting the contrast between the two worlds - the 'civilized' Europe and the 'uncivilized' Africa. This contrast is crucial to show how the so - called civilized people can be as dark or even darker in their hearts than those they consider primitive.
The setting. It's set in the 1920s. The parties with jazz music, flapper girls, and the general air of hedonism were characteristic of that time. All these details in the story's setting mark it as historical fiction.
The dehumanizing treatment of the Africans. They are not given names but are referred to in degrading terms, which shows how the colonizers saw them. This highlights the wrongness of colonialism.
The character of Kurtz also contributes. Kurtz represents the extreme of colonial madness. He goes into the heart of Africa with the idea of 'civilizing' but instead becomes a symbol of the corrupt and immoral colonial power. His downfall shows the failure of the colonial ideology. Also, Marlow's journey and his growing disillusionment with the colonial enterprise throughout the story make it an anti - colonial novel.
The non - linear narrative is a key factor. It jumps back and forth in time, which makes the story more complex and forces the reader to piece together the events. This is a characteristic of modernist literature. For example, Marlow's storytelling is interrupted by his own reflections and digressions, adding to the sense of a fragmented reality.
If the plot is centered around solving crimes that are particularly heinous, like serial murders or brutal acts of violence, it would classify The Detective Miope as a dark novel.
The European characters in the novel often view the African characters as inferior. For example, Marlow's initial perception of the natives is influenced by the colonial mindset. He sees them as part of the 'darkness' that needs to be civilized.
The native characters in Heart of Darkness are symbols as well. They are often presented as a mass, representing the 'primitive' that the Europeans both fear and are attracted to. They are a contrast to the European characters, highlighting the differences in culture and the supposed 'civilized' nature of the Europeans. But as the story progresses, we see that the Europeans' so - called civilization is just a thin veneer, and the natives' simplicity may hold more truth about human nature. In a way, they are symbols of the real, uncorrupted state that the Europeans have lost.
The postcolonial novel has faced challenges in reaching wider audiences, but it has also seen increased critical attention. It's now incorporating elements of other genres and exploring contemporary issues.