Abstract: In Heart of Darkness, Conrad not only showed sympathy for the miserable situation of the black, but also showed respect and admiration for the civilization of European whites. Living in the western society where colonialism was prevalent, Conrad struggled between obeying the mainstream discourse and following his heart. Thus, complex emotions permeated the whole text. This paper will use the theory of "subversion" and "containment" to discuss Conrad's uncertain attitudes and complex feelings towards the colonial mainstream discourse from three aspects: colonial discourse, sexism and anthropocentrism.

Key words: subversion, containment, colonial discourse, sexism, anthropocentrism