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The white sepulchral city symbolizes all of European civilization. The beautiful white outside evokes the lofty ideas and justifications that Europeans use to justify colonization, while the hidden hollow inside the sepulcher hides the hypocrisy and desire for power and wealth that truly motivate the colonial powers.
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The Sepulchral City Symbol Timeline in Heart of Darkness
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Sepulchral City appears in Heart of Darkness. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1
...European city where the Company has its headquarters. He describes the city as a " whited sepulcher ."
(full context)
Part 3
Marlow returns to the " sepulchral city " in Europe, where his aunt nurses him back to health but can't soothe his...
(full context)
