Heart Of Darkness Inhumanity

Heart Of Darkness Inhumanity
Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness, represents a tremendous shift in the perception of humanity as failing to
have met the expectations and moral standards that seemed possible. The novella is set in the latter part of the
nineteenth century, a time when imperialism and racism was immensely prevalent. Crucial to the novella is the
realisation that there is minimal difference between supposed civilised people and those depicted as savages.
Throughout Heart of Darkness, there are blatant acts of brutality that transform Marlow's perception of humanity. These
barbaric experiences lead Marlow to question the expectations and moral standards existing at that time. As Marlow
explores the area around the Company's station, he recognises that the natives "could by no stretch of imagination be
called enemies." It is in this moment that he understands the full extent of the mistreatment and exploitation of ... Show
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Throughout the novella, humanity fails to meet the expectations and moral standards that seemed possible, with many
characters breaking down physically and mentally in the environment of Africa. The novella depicts the way in which
someone so placid can transform into the very definition of a monster when stripped of the law. This is evident in a
scene whereby Fresleven, "the gentlest, quietest creature that ever walked on two legs", mercilessly hammers the chief
of the village with a stick, simply over a misunderstanding about some hens. From this horrific event, it is clear to
Marlow that in an uncivilised world, there is potential for immense darkness. This leads Marlow to question what lies in
the heart of humanity when placed under extreme conditions. As a result, it can be seen that Heart of Darkness
represents a significant shift in the perception of humanity, with colonialism creating endless possibilities for
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Colonialism And Colonialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of...
Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness is a very famous book which has been considered by my many a key reading into the
insight of colonialism. Heart of Darkness is a novel that focuses on colonialism of Africans specifically the Congo and
the effect that has on the indigenous people who inhabit it as well the European colonists. The book focuses on a trip
that the main character Marlow takes and what he sees and how it changes him. The book is based off the author Conrad
real–life experience when he traveled to the Congo and captained a ship that sailed down the Congo River. He would
later become ill during his travel and returned home. He then returned home and wrote the Heart of Darkness. Heart of
Darkness is a novel that looks at the true darkness of men in their quest for power and wealth. In my paper, I will give a
summary of Heart Darkness its relation to colonialism and some of its major themes.
The story itself seems to be a dramatized retelling of some of the experiences that Conrad saw on his own travels to the
Congo. The story focuses on Marlow's job as captain of an ivory transporter ship. A major catalyst of the book is
Marlow sailing the Congo to meet a man named Kurtz an ivory–procurement worker who is said to be an idealistic but
highly capable and smart man. Upon his travel to the central station, Marlow is shocked upon seeing what the European
traders have done to the natives. Marlow discovers on his travels brutality and senseless overworking of the natives.

Things Fall Apart Rhetorical Analysis
Achebe is a reactionary. From Things Fall Apart, to his criticism of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, a novella that is
an allegory against the imperialism, racism, and colonialism that plagued the world during the late nineteenth century
and the early twentieth century, a novella that tries to show the hypocrisy of the European countries; Achebe is reacting
negatively to this novella that proves that European white guilt, the white man's burden, are lies because Achebe does
not want to see the evidence but wants to react with emotion. It is true Europeans never went to Africa to make the
African continent like Europe; they never went to truly colonize for the benefit of the African people, nor did they go to
truly spread their religion. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness as a political allegory to the people of Europe to hopefully show them how foolish it is
to think that their race of people is superior to another. Conrad hoped that his novella would show that the people of
Africa are people and not savages, just people looking to survive in the wild and unruly expanse that is Africa. Achebe
is a man of great intellect and he should have been able to see this if he were not clouded by emotion. Achebe should
not logically deny Conrad's original purpose in writing the novella for he is a man of great intelligence, yet others may
simply pass it off as Achebe did by only reacting with emotion, or others may not be able to understand the work due to
the complex style and excellent vocabulary of Joseph Conrad. Heart of Darkness is a novella that should be looked at
intellectually at the college level for if it were to be examined with the smoke of emotion or through the eyes of one
without the ability to comprehend the political allegory behind it, it would be interpreted and passed off as one of the
most extreme and racists works of the late nineteenth century even though that title is not befitting of this novella. Heart
of Darkness is not that; it is not a racist work. Conrad's purpose was not racist and if one was to intellectually examine
the novella that would be apparent and that is why it is a work that is deemed only appropriate for a college

Essay Contrasting Images in Things Fall Apart and Heart...
Contrasting Images in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness portrays an
image of Africa that is dark and inhuman. Not only does he describe the actual, physical continent of Africa as "so
hopeless and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so pitiless to human weakness" (Conrad 94), as though the
continent could neither breed nor support any true human life, but he also manages to depict Africans as though they are
not worthy of the respect commonly due to the white man. At one point the main character, Marlow, describes one of
the paths he follows: "Can't say I saw any road or any upkeep, unless the body of a middle–aged negro, with a bullet–
hole in the forehead, upon which I ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Darkness is everything that is unknown, primitive, evil, and impenetrable. To Conrad, Africa is the very representation
of darkness. Marlow often uses the phrase, "We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness" (Conrad 68), to
describe his progress on the Congo. By traveling farther and farther down the Congo, Marlow and his crew get closer
and closer to the epicenter of this foreboding darkness, to the black heart of evil. Because of Africa's physical immensity
and thick jungles, it appeared to be a land of the unknown where "the silence . . . went home to one's very heart–its
mystery, its greatness, the amazing reality of its concealed life"(56). This portrayal of Africa as both a romantic frontier
and a foreboding wilderness continues to dominate in the minds of Westerners even today. Conrad depicts Africa as a
land where the prehistoric has been preserved. He describes the journey up the Congo as something similar to a trip on a
time machine: Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted
on the earth and the big trees were kings . . . There were moments when one's past came back to one, as it will
sometimes when you have not a moment to spare to yourself; but it came in the shape of an unrestful and noisy dream,
remembered with wonder amongst the overwhelming realities of this strange world of

Imperialism And Colonialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of...
The title Heart of Darkness is not just for show, but directly reflects multiple concepts within the book itself. There are
many controversial arguments as to if Conrad's portrayal of the slaves and natives made him "racist", and the more
central question being, were his arguments about imperialism and colonialism valid? Based upon evidence given in the
book and the reference of other sources, his arguments are valid. To illustrate, the story is about a sailor named Marlow
traveling up the Congo River to meet another man named Kurtz. He arrives at his company and comes upon slaves who
are forced to do labor for them. Marlow immediately realizes the contrast in treatment through his encounter with a
guard who, "–seeing a white man on the path, hoisted his weapon to his shoulder with alacrity" (54). Later in his trip he
also encounters natives, who prove to be hostile as they attack his boat and kill one of his members. Imperialism and
colonialism are both vividly manifested through the European's claim over Africa where they forced those who lived
there, both Africans and Natives, to make way. Through the use of colonialism and imperialism with Africa as its main
setting, the controversial topic of racism emerges from the appearance of slavery. The author, Joseph Conrad, being the
person of interest. Notably, in an essay written by Ewa Kujawska, he discusses the fact that "In Polish scholarship
Conrad has been discussed more in terms of his nationalism than racial

How Is The Post Colonialism In Heart Of Darkness
Post–Colonial Analysis of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Abstract:
Joseph Conrad 's Heart of Darkness tells the story about Marlow's journey in Africa and the other character Kurtz who
exploits the natives by imposing violence on them ,Marlow search for this.This story is actually based on the
autobiographical of Joseph journey ,that he did for learned that how Europeans ruled over the (Africa for their own
benifits. Jospeh Conrad's Heart of Darkness book is regarded as an attack on imperialism and criticizes immoral
treatments of the
European colonizers in Africa in the 19th century. Keith Booker states that "the book deals with issues such as
imperialism, capitalism, race, and gender that were very much at the
forefront ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow's relationships to imperialism are just devices with which to work more effectively in the interests of imperialist
power. Said says that "Heart of Darkness works so effectively because its politics and aesthetics are, so to speak,
imperialist, which in the closing years of the nineteenth century seemed to be at the same time an aesthetic, politics and
even epistemology inevitable an unavoidable". Said implies that colonialism is inevitable through the end of 19th
century; however, Conrad clearly criticizes the brutal application of
England.
In the novel we see the character of Kurtz who is chief of inner station , he has a lot of abilities from art to music
although he is cruel person .He is a man who reveals the violence and brutality in the novel.Marlow says that ,Kurtz was
a remarkable man who had say something to say and said it.
Kurtz as a European thinks that it is his responsibility and right to controlle on the Africans and Marlow is critical and
surprised to see this meaningless authority over black people ,that brought violence in Africa by European colonialism.
.
Kurtz is a strong symbol of order because of the fact that he is the most

Essay on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
In the present era of decolonization, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness presents one of fictions strongest accounts of
British imperialism. Conrad's attitude towards imperialism and race has been the subject of much literary and historical
debate. Many literary critics view Conrad as accepting blindly the arrogant attitude of the white male European and
condemn Conrad to be a racist and imperialists. The other side vehemently defends Conrad, perceiving the novel to be
an attack on imperialism and the colonial experience. Understanding the two viewpoints side by side provides a unique
understanding that leads to a commonality that both share; the novel simply presents a criticism of colonialists in Africa.
The novel merely portrays a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The stadial theory helped to differentiate the British with the less 'civilized' nations, where the British stood as the
highest form of civilization and thus assumed the moral responsibility to bring their enlightened ways to the 'uncivilized'
peoples of the world. The British began to see that the 'others' had agency and thus the ability to develop into a society
similar to theirs in due time.
Imperialism was unnecessary, so long as the British Empire maintained control of the world market. Once Germany,
Belgium, and The United States were able to compete with the monopoly the British Empire had created, this forced the
British Empire to explore new markets. It was the sudden demand for new foreign markets to adopt Imperialism as a
political policy moving forward (Hobson 1). Imperial rule transformed colonies most notably in Africa, Australia, and
India bringing British ideas of land, private property, and wealth. Industrialization piggybacked imperialism, laying
railway tracks and cable wires across the face of the colonized civilizations. Local indigenous industries unable to
compete with the British, collapsed and a consequent destruction of livelihood and community followed (Colley 3). The
negative impacts of colonialism are generally given more focus than the productivity and positive

Comparison of Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country and...
In Cry, the beloved country, Alan Paton tells the story of his journey across Africa, his experiences with the colonized
Africa, and the destruction of the beautiful, pre–colonialism native land of Africa. Heart of Darkness also tells the story
of a man and his experiences with colonialism, but a man who comes from a different time period and a very different
background than Alan Paton's Stephen Kumalo. Although, both Joseph Conrad and Alan Paton portray the colonized
areas as very negative, death filled, and sinful places, it is when one analyzes the descriptions of the native lands of
Africa that the authors reasons for their disapproval of colonialism are truly revealed. When comparing the writing
styles of Alan Paton and Joseph Conrad, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Conrad revealed his ideas through his character, Marlow, when we read his experiences traveling down the Congo when
he sees the natives and their land that has been untouched by colonialism. Conrad's lack of concern for the natives may
have been a result of his experiences with them during his journey in Africa. Assuming Heart of Darkness' character
Marlow is a representation of Conrad himself, he did saw the native people in both conditions. He experienced them in
the Belgium Congo, beaten and broken from the harshness of the colonists and he saw them in their natural state before
the effects of colonialism had reached them. One may argue that his lack of concern for the natives was because he had
seen them in their homeland and before their home had been changed, and maybe he chose to believe that there was
hope left in Africa for its tribal tradition. This statement is simply not true; Marlow fully experienced the devastation
left by colonialism in Africa, yet his animosity towards colonialism was still due to the concern for his own people, the
white colonists.
Another major contributor to the different attitudes of Paton and Conrad is the places they grew up. Joseph Conrad was
born in Poland, a predominantly white area, whereas Paton was born in South Africa. As opposed to the selfish, fearful
concern that Conrad felt for his own people, Paton had true concern for the native tribes of Africa. Alan

What Is Joseph Conrad's Use Of Anti-Transcendentalism?
Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness is the story of a man who was sent into the depths of the African jungle to
obtain ivory. On this quest the protagonist, Marlow, becomes aware of the oppression set forth by the European settlers
in the African Congo. A major subject of dispute set forth in this book is the manner in which these social atrocities are
described. Joseph Conrad's descriptions of the African natives and the setting in which the story takes place have long
been dismissed simply as usage of the racist language and ideals of the time. But there seems to be a deeper meaning in
his usage of this language. Joseph Conrad's usage of racism throughout Heart of Darkness appears to be an anti–
transcendentalists commentary on the harsh reality of the human race –– the notion that there is evil in everyone. ...
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However these explanations were all but racism. Conrad intertwined these racist insinuations within the plot as a way to
comment on the somewhat universal mindset of the time. Must it be reminded that Conrad never once mentions that the
setting is in the Congo nor even Africa for that matter. In a basic sense, the setting was described as a place where there
is a large river and an ivory trader. That describes not just parts of Africa but also many other places in the world. By
doing this he wanted to avoid racist insinuations connected to one or other particular group, overall avoiding

Colonialism And Imperialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of...
The horrors of the past do not fade with time – whether the horrors occur in one's lifetime or decades before. In Heart of
Darkness and Native Guard, Joseph Conrad and Natasha Trethewey respectively chronicle their characters' journeys as
they struggle to overcome the demons of their personal histories and of history itself. With persistent reflection, both
characters achieve a clearer understanding of their pasts, allowing them to transform according to the truths they have
discovered. Conrad and Trethewey use water as a symbol to express the shift in their characters' identities: Marlow from
apathetic detachment to passive awareness and Trethewey's speaker from confused turmoil to a definite identity.
In his novella Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses the symbol water to express Marlow's change from apathy to awareness
throughout his journey from the outer station to the inner station. As explained in Albert Guerard's criticism "The
Journey Within," Conrad represents his character's "spiritual voyage of self–discovery" by having Marlow travel down a
dynamic body of water (Guerard 302). As he travels down the Congo, Marlow's belief in imperialism's noble cause and
his indifference slowly erode away with the passage of water, subtly changing Marlow. Conrad includes this change to
show that imperialism negatively affects conquerors in addition to the civilization imperialized. At the beginning of
Marlow's story, he shows only indifference to the people suffering around him. While

Post Colonialism Is Not A Reference Of Time Essay
Post colonialism is not a reference of time; rather it is the literary theory that encompasses the global interactions of
humans after colonization and imperialist rule dominated the world. The ultimate definition is still in the wakes of
developing, so there is no box this particular word can smoothly fit into. This is a literary theory; it is a lens to take in
order to understand the truthfulness of all perspectives in a story. A baseline of post colonialism lies in the definition of
both terms. Colonialism states that people come to settle and establish political control over an area. Post refers to after,
so in a sense post colonialism is the aftermath of what that political control conducted and accomplished. If post
colonialism can be defined, then it is the outcome of how the political control restructured any specific place.
Nevertheless, there is no single story that can capture post colonialism, and there are all–encompassing outlooks that
must be absorbed to understand the complexity of what this theory represents for any individual. This idea is always
evolving because there is still an uncertainty of where colonialism exists today. Some existing characteristics that
explore a deeper truth to post colonialism are the legacies left, the power that is employed, and who controls the
knowledge that influences the perspective in which post colonialism embodies.
The legacy that is interpreted by postcolonial texts is what makes and defines its influence for the future.

The Cruelty of Colonialism in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
A nation of tortured slaves with bodies so emaciated one could count the ribs, death lingering in every corner as
overworked natives line the ground with their lifeless forms, a people so scarred that evil men are allowed to rule as
gods. Unfortunately, the gruesome description reigns true for African tribes that fell victim to the cruelty of colonialism.
Pointing out the abhorrent evils of the imperial tradition, Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness to expose the
possibility of malevolence in a human being. Throughout the novella, Conrad illustrates sickening images of the
horrendous effects of colonizing African tribes while incorporating themes such as a reversal of black and white
imagery, the "fascination of the abomination", and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Achebe also spoke around the United States and taught at the University of Massachusetts. Although many critics
commend Conrad for addressing the heavy topic of colonialism in a slightly controversial manner, Achebe voices the
idea that Conrad is not a creator of great work because of the condescending and racist undertones throughout his
magnum opus. To support Achebe's view that Conrad is a racist, he refers to several instances throughout the novella
that he believes blatantly point out the racism behind the text. Early on in the novel, the river Thames is described as
civilized and tranquil because it runs through Europe, the epitome of imperialism. Contrastingly, the African "...River
Congo, the very antithesis of the Thames" is seen as prehistoric and dishonorable as it "...enjoys no old–age pension"
(Achebe 1). Although the contrast between the two rivers is obviously a negative depiction of Africa, Achebe believes
the main fear of Conrad voices through Marlow is the undeniable relation to such "savage" people. Conrad believes that
the natives of the Congo are wholly uncivilized and malevolent, but through this observation he realizes that the natives
are humans and the fact that he shares a common relation to these people disgusts him (1). Achebe also points out that
while Conrad does not admire the savage nature of the natives, he does enjoy

Essay about Heart of Darkness
Post–colonial studies have often created this myth about the European intent for Africa, a tale that has led many
westerners to believe in the noble role of European policy of civilizing Africa. However, literal materials have said little
about the evils that surrounded the well sometimes ill–disguised motives of explorers, colonial administrators and their
adventures. This essay provides an in depth review of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, a classical novella that
illustrates without bias the motives behind human intentions and the extremes individuals can go to achieve wealth and
profits at the expense of others with the aim of shedding insight into the rise of European imperialism, the imperial
history, its politics and evil ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow not only encounters Kurtz's corruption but also braves the forces inside him that make him susceptible to
Kurtz's tendencies. In this book Marlow says "I've had to strike and to fend off. I've had to resist and to attack
sometimes––that's only one way of resisting––without counting the exact cost, according to the demands of such sort of
life as I had blundered into" (Conrad 10).
Actually, he finds out that Africa is not as uncivilized as he was made to believe. The incident on the river and the
dignified woman believed to be Kurtz's mistress makes Marlow rethink how civilized Africans are as he sees them as
people who have some inner wisdom that is incomprehensible to the white man (Conrad 23). He also discovers the
ravage done on the continent. Marlow goes back to Belgium after Kurtz's demise where he faces Kurtz's fiancée and is
forced to lie about Kurtz's undertakings and his last words.
The close of the nineteenth century came with one of the most conspicuous forms of imperialism ever experienced in
modern history. Just like many other Europeans, king Leopold was fascinated by illustrious accounts of explorers from
Africa and he wanted a share of the wealth and power. Through careful scheming, he ultimately established himself a
territory, which he called The Congo Free state. Congo was endowed with ivory and rubber, which could be harnessed
and

Female Characters In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness
Thesis Statements
In the novella Heart of Darkness, the seemingly minor characters of the mistress and the intendant play the most
important roles of the novella written by Joseph Conrad.
The three seemingly simple female characters in Heart of Darkness, Marlow's aunt, the Intendent, and the African
Mistress, give more meaning to the main characters and the text as a whole through Joseph Conrad's use of meaningful
suggestions, symbols, and contrasts.
The three seemingly simple female characters in Heart of Darkness including Marlow's Aunt, Kurtz's Intended, and his
African Mistress, play the most important roles of the novella by providing more meaning to the main characters and
the text as a whole through Joseph Conrad's use of suggestions, symbols, and contrasts.
The three women in the novella are not mentioned often and have even less thoughts of their own; however, Joseph
Conrad goes slightly against the social norms of the late nineteenth century by having these three women impact the
protagonist, Marlow, more than any other characters.
The two main female characters in the novella, Kurtz's Intended and his African Mistress, are not mentioned often and
have even less thoughts of their own; however, Joseph Conrad actually uses these women as contradicting symbols to
develop colonialism and the protagonist of the novella, Marlow.
Topic Sentences
The Intended, who is Kurtz's fiancee, not only symbolizes civilized Europe, but also develops Marlow's character

Heart of Darkness is a novel about the complexity of human nature, as well as the relevant matter of imperialism and
colonialism, written by Joseph Conrad, one of the most famous novelist in the history of English literature. The novel
focuses on Charlie Marlow, a boat caption, and his experience up the Congo river. Throughout the novel, Conrad is
critical of European imperialism, and expresses his opinions through symbols and characters. Marlow's story in Heart of
Darkness takes place in the Belgian Congo, which is one of the European colonies in Africa that is famous for the greed
and brutalization of the native people. The novel reveals the deceptiveness of the entire colonial effort. In Europe, the
colonization of Africa was justified because people were told that it would bring wealth to Europe, and it would also
civilize and educate the so called "savage" African natives. In the Heart of Darkness, Conrad explores the nature of
colonialism, he exploits the horrors of it and is skeptical of the entire process. He uses characters to express his
opinions, the main one being Kurtz, who is shady and mysterious. He represents all of Europe, "All Europe contributed
to the making of Kurtz" (Page 29). Kurtz himself is a symbol of Western civilization. This quote is important because
Kurtz went mad while being in the wilderness of Africa, and since Europe created Kurtz this suggests that all of Europe
contributes something to mankind that will eventually make them mad. His

Heart Of Darkness Essay
Joseph Conrad lived in a time where racism and colonialism were prevalent and often went hand in hand. In his novel,
Heart of Darkness, he uses characters Kurtz and Marlow to detail his psychoanalytical findings and account for the evil
that came with the colonization of the Congo. The exposure to horror and the absolute freedom of mind blurs Kurtz's
reality and pushes Marlow to the edge of insanity. On his own journey to the Congo, Conrad witnessed many atrocities
done by colonists toward the natives. According to Conrad's accounts, the exposure that the colonists experience in the
Congo switches on a mode of survival, leading them to make decisions without accounting for the lack of morality. As a
result, as more time passes, they become ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Literary critic Diane Telgen effectively addresses how one's surroundings alter perspective and can rattle one's reality.
Furthermore, the author identifies the repugnance of colonization, and explains how the graphic details in Heart of
Darkness support the central theme of moral corruption. With the exposure to disease, danger, and brutality, a mode of
survival is switched on in the colonists and they begin to lose touch with their moral compass. Marlow describes Kurtz's
situation in the Congo as, "...utter solitude without a policeman–by the way of silence–utter silence, where no warning
voice of a kind neighbor can be heard whispering of public opinion? These little things make difference. When they are
gone you must fall back upon your own innate strength, upon your own capacity for faithfulness" (Conrad 91). Conrad
is highlighting how Kurtz and other colonists cannot rely on other people to hold them accountable for moral decisions.
Instead, they must rely on their own innate strength in order to remain faithful to their convictions. In addition to the
appalling manner in which the natives are treated, this desensitization of the colonists only worsens the existing
problem. Conrad identifies the moral corruption to show that the colonization caused harm to the natives of the Congo
and also corrupted the colonists

Heart of Darkness on the Flaws of Imperial Authority
"Heart of Darkness" on the Flaws of Imperial Authority Throughout Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" despite the
many conditions of the described Africa most if not all the characters agree that these conditions indeed differ from the
conditions found in Europe. In working through conversations with Chinua Achebe's Colonialist Criticism and An
Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness it can be brought to light that not only is Conrad's "Heart of
Darkness" a novel that criticizes imperialist discourse as an integral piece of colonialism but colonialism as a whole if
not directly through the exaggerated story Conrad tells through his characters. In the beginning of Heart of Darkness
Conrad writes "What redeems it is the idea only. An idea at the back of it; not a sentimental pretence but an idea; and an
unselfish belief in the idea – something you can set up, and bow down before, and offer a sacrifice to..." (Conrad 14),
here we get the clear statement that Conrad's novel is not going to be criticizing colonialism as a whole but a small part
of it which is the imperialistic idea behind it. More specifically the main idea behind imperialism this being the major
differences between races that cause one to be inferior to the other. Before the actual telling of the story we are
introduced to three characters: the Lawyer, Director, and the Accountant: three major players in the colonizing European
world. Conrad gives us these three roles excluding ones like

Effects Of European Colonialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart...
The United Nations labeled and sold European colonization in the Congo during the early twentieth century as the idea
that the Congo would be transformed from a savage jungle into a place of international trade, education, and
development. The harsh realities of imperialism crushed this idealistic idea of having a flourishing civilized place in
Africa. The King of Belgium exploited the Congo along with its people and used it as slave labor in order to personally
profit off his new purchase. Joseph Conrad's novella "Heart of Darkness" reveals these truths about European
colonialism through the main character's recollection and retelling of a past voyage to the Congo he had experienced.
The novella tackles problematic Eurocentric ideas of Africans and their culture, while also revealing European
supremacy as the white washed illusion it is. The author draws on his own past to tell not only a thrilling adventure, but
also expose Europe for its exploitative actions during the early twentieth century. At the Berlin Conference of 1884, the
U.N. granted King Leopold of Belgium land, the Congo, under the guidelines that it's intended purpose was to be used
for the advancement of the land such as international trade, missionaries, and education. The harsh realities of trade and
greed sat in on the land and its inhabitants and destroyed the illusion of enlightenment. The King did not implement for
any schools or churches to be built within the land, the only promise kept was for

Light and Dark of Colonialism and Imperialism in Heart of...
The Light and Dark of Colonialism Exposed in Heart of Darkness
In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, challenges a dominant view by exposing the evil nature and the darkness
associated with the colonialist ventures. It is expressed by Marlow as "robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a
great scale, and men going at it blind – as it is very proper for those who tackle a darkness." The European colonialists
are portrayed as blind lightbearers, people having a façade of progress and culture, yet are blind of their actions. They
think they are brining a light to a darkness, yet they are the real darkness or evil. Conrad's critique of European
colonialism is most apparent through the oppositions of light and darkness, with the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The manager personifies the darkness with his unbalanced priorities of obtaining of ivory and the deficiency of
importance given to human lives, thus displaying an intense darkness behind the façade of light. In the beginning of the
book, Marlow comes upon a "grove of death" in the jungle where black workers who are no longer able to function
satisfactorily in the eyes of the company are left to die. Marlow also witnesses black workers in chain–gangs throughout
his journey up the river, along with a black man shot. These atrocities against the natives are as a result of the white
colonization and the activities of the manager, a character which represents the darkness within the supposed light that
is brought to the natives. The manager is solely concerned with the safe confiscation of the ivory and not at all with
Kurtz' life, lives are seen as merely objects in the way of the ultimate goal of ivory. Therefore the manager, with the
"lightness" – a façade of bringing culture and improvements to the natives, is in fact the real darkness, demonstrating
the evil associated with the European colonialism of Africa.
Conrad also uses minor characters to enhance the distinction between dark and light, with character construction of
good and evil along similar lines. In the beginning of the novella, the members of the Nellie represent the contrast of the
materialistic and the spiritual. The

Light and Dark in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay
Light and Dark in Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, was written to explore the soul of man. If the book is viewed only
superficially, a tragic story of the African jungle is seen, but when examined closely, a deeper meaning arises. Through
his narrator Marlow, Conrad uses the theme of light and dark to contrast the civilized with the savage.
Through the individual characters, Conrad creates the division between dark and light and black and white created by
colonialism. Marlow and Kurtz can be as two halves of one soul. Throughout the tale, Marlow is disgusted with what he
sees during his employment with the ivory company. He is shocked and angered at the horrible treatment of the ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marlow also witnesses black workers in chain–gangs throughout his journey up the river, along with a black man shot
dead in the middle of the road and the beating of another black man accused of setting a fire in the supplies shed. Later,
the manager orders the willful starvation of the cannibals of the crew. The meat the cannibals brought with them rotted
and, although they were paid enough to buy food, the manager refused to stop along the way up the river for the
cannibals to buy anything to eat. Finally, once they reach Kurtz, the manager sends men toward the compound heavily
armed. He is solely concerned with the safe confiscation of the ivory and not at all with Kurtz' life. Subsequently, the
manager goes to great lengths to guard the ivory while Kurtz is not: a makeshift curtain is all that separates Kurtz from
the rest of the crew. Though all of these acts, the character of the manager displays the absolute darkness of the ivory
company.
Further atrocities committed by colonizing companies are shown through the Eldorado Exploring Expedition, based on
an actual expedition – the Katanga Expedition of 1890. The expedition exposes more materialistic stupidity of such
missions and also represents the reckless pirating colonizers, "greedy without audacity, and cruel without courage
(Conrad, 27)." Just as in the

Dr Conrad 's Heart Of Darkness And Salih 's Season Of...
The unpleasant and painful experience of colonialism in Africa has great effects on almost all faces of life such as
language, education, religion, popular culture and the like. Colonial and post–colonial novels in Africa have therefore
become unusual weapons used to change the European idea about the third world peoples and to illustrate how the
European colonizer could create unequal relations of power, based on binary oppositions such as "First–world" and
"third–world"; "white" and "black", "colonizer" and "colonized", etc. This duality can be seen clear in Conrad's Heart of
Darkness and Salih's Season of Migration to the North. Conrad's novel is filled with literal and metaphoric opposites:
the Congo and the Thames, black and white, Europe and Africa, good and evil, purity and corruption, civilization and
'triumphant bestiality ', light and the very 'heart of darkness '.
It is therefore true to say that the primary concern of most post–colonial African novelists, like Al–Tayyib Salih, Chinua
Achebe and others, is to change for better the history of their people which colonialism has taken off or manipulated.
The African novel occupies a central position in the criticism of colonial portrayal of the African continent and its
people. It grew, in part, from a history of active resistance to the colonial encounter. It has been crossing boundaries and
assaulting walls imposed by History upon the horizon of the continent whose aspirations it has been striving to

Exposing Colonialism and Imperialism in Joseph Conrad’s...
The Evil of Colonialism Exposed in Heart of Darkness
Marlow was an average European man with average European beliefs. Like most Europeans of his time, Marlow
believed in colonialism; that is, until he met Kurtz. Kurtz forces Marlow to rethink his current beliefs after Marlow
learns the effects of colonialism deep in the African Congo. In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow learns that
he has lived his entire life believing in a sugar–coated evil. Marlow's understanding of Kurtz's experiences show him the
effects colonialism can have on a man's soul.
In Europe, colonialism was emphasized as a great and noble cause. It was
seen as, the white mans mission to help civilize and improve a savage ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He says
the Romans were conquers and not colonialists, and explains that what saves
the colonialist is "the devotion to efficiency" and "the unselfish belief in
the idea"(Conrad 65–66). Yet throughout the novel Marlow's experiences show
how colonialism was just that, the robbing of Africa for ivory and profit by
Europeans. He says there was no improvement in Africa like the Europeans
claimed, "unless the body of a middle–aged negro, with a bullet hole in the
forehead...may be considered improvement" (Conrad 81). I think Marlow feels
this is what colonialism really brought to Africa. Some Europeans may have
genuinely believed in the idea of colonialism as being noble, but this
"belief in the idea" cannot save the horrible actions of colonialism or make
them acceptable.
Also during this time, around the 1800's, exploration was seen as a
wonderful adventure and the period of mapping out the world was under way.
Europeans saw Africa as a black place on the map waiting to be discovered.
When Marlow was young "[he] had a passion for maps. [He] would look for
hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia and lose [him–self] in all

the glories of exploration" (Conrad 66). Marlow now says, "The glamour's
off"(Conrad 67). I

Heart Of Darkness Prejudice Essay
A world without xenophobia would be an idyllic world, but unfortunately, such a place will never exist. Racism has
plagued the globe for centuries, and historically, Africans have faced extreme opposition within their native continent
and outside of it. This prejudice has long been observed and taught through literature, historical accounts, and art. It is
important to understand that such prejudice is a vital key to understanding history, especially notable in 19th–century
European colonialism like that chronicled in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. There has been talk that the story
should be barred from the classroom because of its xenophobic aspects, but the racist attitudes present in African
colonization in the 1800s characterize Europeans ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
First, Conrad writes from the optimistic Belgian's point of view that colonization is beneficial to both parties: the
colonizers and the assimilated. Throughout the novella, members of the Belgian company are referred to as "pilgrims."
This positively–connoted word often associated with religion epitomizes the approving European view of African
settlement. Similarly, Marlow's aunt is written to convey the assimilating attitude towards Africans that Eurocentrists
exuded on the surface. Marlow's aunt discusses "weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways" as if the
Belgians are a superior people that are aiding the Congolese (Conrad 10). Additionally, the book reflects the European
standpoint on colonialism presented in Rudyard Kipling's "The White Man's Burden." In the poem, Kipling implies the
necessity of white men "To seek another's profit/ And work another's gain" (Kipling). In Conrad's book, Marlow notes
that first and foremost, "the company was run for profit," and its main goal is to collect vast amounts of ivory (Conrad
10). Correspondingly, Kipling uses the words "Your new–caught sullen peoples,/ Half–Devil and half–child" to describe
native people regarded as subservient. (Insert HoD quote that represents Kipling's idea.) Much like slavery in America,
European expansionism is an important part of history that can't merely be

Colonialism and Imperialism in Joseph Conrad's Heart of...
Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness, describes a life–altering journey that the protagonist, Marlow, experiences
in the African Congo. The story explores the historical period of colonialism in Africa to exemplify Marlow's struggles.
Marlow, like other Europeans of his time, is brought up to believe certain things about colonialism, but his views
change as he experiences colonialism first hand. This essay will explore Marlow's view of colonialism, which is shaped
through his experiences and also from his relation to Kurtz. Marlow's understanding of Kurtz's experiences show him
the effects colonialism can have on a man's soul.
In Europe, colonialism was emphasized as being a great and noble cause. It was seen as, the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He says the Romans were conquerors and not colonialists, and explains that what saves the colonialist is "the devotion
to efficiency" and "the unselfish belief in the idea"(pg.65–66). Yet throughout the novel, Marlow's personal experiences
show how colonialism was just that, the robbing of Africa for ivory and profit by Europeans. He ascertains that there
were no improvement in Africa like the Europeans claimed, "unless the body of a middle–aged negro, with a bullet hole
in the forehead...may be considered improvement" (pg.81). This notion of extreme physical violence is something that
threads its way through the novella.
The above epitomizes what Marlow thinks about what colonialism really brought to Africa. Some Europeans may have
genuinely believed in the idea of colonialism as being noble, but this "belief in the idea" cannot save the horrible actions
of colonialism or make them acceptable. Indeed this false belief in an idea, rather then the practicalities of colonialism
only aids to brutality of such actions.
Furthermore at the time of the writing of this novella, approximately within the 1800's, exploration was seen as a
wonderful adventure and the period of mapping out the world was well under way. Europeans saw Africa as a black
place on the map waiting to be discovered. When Marlow was young "[he] had a passion for maps. [He] would look for
hours at South

Examples Of Post Colonialism
Introduction
This thesis aims to read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1898), and Nostromo, A Tale of Seaboard (1904) in a post
colonialist perspective. Post colonialism is a theory applied to literature and developed after colonialism, in middle of
the 20th century. The theory is based on colonized countries by the colonial powers. The concept of postcolonialism is
connected with the effects of colonization on societies and cultures. The term has been used by literary critics to discuss
various effects of colonization after the late 1970s. Post–Colonialism is the hyphenated term which marks historical
period as is suggested by phrases such as 'after colonialism', 'after independence', ' after the end of empire' where as the
term postcolonialism referring to all qualities of a society or culture from the time of colonization to the present. In the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Conrad himself was a member of imperial culture and utilized his own experiences he gained as a seamen in Congo and
the Malay Archipelago when he wrote his 'Heart of Darkness'. While writing 'Nostromo' Conrad was aware of the
politics of the world's great powers, and his text was shaped by the pervasive ideologies of the time.
'Heart of Darkness' includes four–month of Conrad in Congo, and his command of a Congo River steamboat. Conrad
experienced and saw the violence made by the European explorers and traders in Congo. He created the embodiment of
European imperialism in his character, Kurtz. The novel tell the story of Marlow, a seamen who undertakes his own
journey into the African Jungle to find the European trader, Kurtz.
'Nostromo' is one of the greatest and most complex novels of Conrad. Conrad shows, the social and political disorder in
South American states whose silver mine serves both literally and metaphorically as the source of the country's value
and politics in this

Nineteenth century Britain was a period of transformation driven by the industrial revolution and was an era plagued by
political and social unrest. A notable work from this period is Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, an extensive
exploration of European imperialism in the African Congo during the nineteenth century. One of Conrad's most
noteworthy pieces, the novella was a contribution to the world of literature, establishing a profoundly honest depiction
of the hard realities of colonization and the horrors brought upon the lands colonization reached. In Heart of Darkness,
Joseph Conrad criticizes madness as a result of Man's fundamental fallibility when they are the sole judge of one's own
actions. To begin with, Joseph Conrad introduces the concept of Man's fundamental fallibility. Conrad writes, "The
original Kurtz had been educated partly in England, and – as he was good enough to say himself – his sympathies were
in the right place. His mother was half–English, his father was half–French. All Europe contributed to the making of
Kurtz" (63). Conrad develops the sense that all of Europe had contributed to Kurtz, a man, who through the course of
the novella, falls victim to madness, suggesting how the world creates a mankind that is essentially susceptible to
madness. Furthermore, Conrad implies that these innate seeds of insanity are not just belonging to the character of
Kurtz, but to all of humanity as well. In addition, Edward Garnett, an early critic of Conrad's

Things Fall Apart And Heart Of Darkness Analysis
A Sociological Approach to Compare Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart with Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
In everyday life, we are always comparing, even subconsciously with even knowing it. When we compare things, we
look at what the similarities are in said items such as a popular brand or a generic one. Comparing things such as two
literary works, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and, Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, both have a lot of
similarities that we will look at.
In Things Fall Apart, it is about a man named Okonkwo who was exiled from his original village and has now found a
new home in the village of Umuofia. While in this village, Okonkwo, tries to establish a flawless self–made character.
Yet, the stress he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This in the end ultimately changes the way of life the villagers were accustomed to. In Heart of Darkness, you can
observe one of the protagonists, Kurtz, and how he inspires the locals to the point where he become god like to them
and is revered. The same can be said for the other villagers working at different stations, where they too have had their
lifestyles changed by the white colonists. They did this by following the ways of the colonists and even doing as the
white men commanded.
Another similarity in both of these novels is how the African natives are viewed by the white colonists. In the Heart of
Darkness, Conrad portrays how the colonists viewed the African tribesmen early on the novel. Conrad does this by
showing the interaction between Marlow and his aunt when she relates to him her wishes in him assisting in, "weaning
those ignorant millions of their horrid ways" (Conrad). She makes this statement even though she has never traveled to
Africa, but only has prejudiced impression of the African people as illiterate brutes. This mindset seems to be prevalent
in Europeans in this time period and this because of myths and stories shared by those who have never been to the
country.
In Things Fall Apart, Achebe depicted an African people which humanizes them and their country. This could partly be
because he understands the African people, speak their

Smokescreen
"The horror! The horror! The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a
different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much"
(Hochschild, 1998, p. 164). Marlow, a fictional character in Heart of Darkness, is discussing colonialism, a policy that
dramatically altered the world during the nineteenth century. While, those who plunder other nations are said to have
done so in the name of progress, civilization, and Christianity, there is a certain hypocritical attitude that leads to
accounts such as Marlow's. For while these civilizing missions, or the rationale for intervention, accomplished some
good, the movement developed ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
2). By way of explanation, slavery means to forcibly assert your power over another in order to dominate and gain
economically, while the victims earn nothing. In the Congo, colonial officials asserted themselves by threatening,
kidnapping, torturing, and killing. An effective weapon to torture natives was the chicotte, or a whip, to which was
justified by the belief that the native's were less than human. That is, Europeans believed them to be uncivilized and
lazy. For this reason, they were put to work in a similar way to animals. By using the whip, those in power hoped their
discipline would encourage the Africans to work and be civilized. For they believed the natives will not work unless
they are taught good work ethic, despite the certainty that Africans have survived on their own. This idea of using
barbaric forces to rid the natives of barbarism is hypocritical.
King Leopold's second justification was to morally uplift the natives. He stated, "To open to civilization the only part of
our globe which it has not yet penetrated, to pierce the darkness which hangs over entire peoples, is, I dare say, a
crusade worthy of this century of progress..."(Hochschild, 1998, p. 44). His actions were seemingly commendable and
echoed the beliefs of the nineteenth century. During this time, a need for an evangelical–religious awakening spread
throughout countries such as

Across many countries, authors have showcased how societal structures such as imperialism and colonialism can affect
the way in which an individual experiences the world. Those born into the so–called "First World" countries have been
privileged in that they have not felt the burden of such societal structure, as compared to those born into those "Second
World" countries. These individuals have dealt with the pressures of Westernized society in such a way that their entire
way of life has been transformed. Those whose countries hold values of imperialism and colonialism have only imposed
their ways of life onto the "Second World" countries, whose citizens have lived in those shadows for centuries. These
different worldviews can also impact ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As Kurtz's title grows, he is able to work his way into the natives' minds. He becomes their leader, even though he is an
outsider. Little does Marlow know, Kurtz's corruptness and his imperialistic and colonialist efforts to rule the African
land would become his demise. In the end, Marlow understands that Kurtz is not all he is made out to be, and finds that
his practices are harsher than necessary as he reads in Kurtz's book his plans to "Exterminate all the brutes!" (50). Kurtz
is referring to the natives he befriends and uses to his advantage. While Marlow and Kurtz move throughout the Congo
as foreigners of a "First World" country, the Natives of the Congo are forces reconcile with Kurtz's colonization and rule
of their land and over their people. What Conrad presents in Heart of Darkness are the dangers of naiveté regarding
"First World" practices of imperialism and colonialism, and then becoming aware, as Marlow gradually does, of their
implications.
Secondly, in Wang Anyi's short story, "The Destination," Chen Xin experiences the changes in his home city, Shanghai,
following a ten–year period of life in rural China. In returning home, Chen Xin embarks on a never–ending journey to
find true happiness. As a young man, he volunteers himself to move to the countryside in order to avoid the
repercussions of the Communist government. The Cultural Revolution,

An Image Of Africa Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." Hopes and Impediments: Selected
Essays, 1965–1987. London: Heinemann International, 1988. 1–13. Rpt. in Nineteenth–Century Literature Criticism.
Ed. Russel Whitaker. Vol. 148. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 13 Nov. 2014
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
id=GALE%7CH1420062121&v=2.1&u=peel_dsb&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w&asid=dd774351e59c3f708a5f969f9e5809eb>
Throughout the article, "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness", Chinua Achebe explores how
Joseph Conrad was racist in his book, The Heart of Darkness, and the common stereotypes people have of Africans, or
of Africa as a whole. Achebe discusses that people have coined Africa ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Achebe believes that Conrad insults and questions the humanity of Africans. Despite of Africa's long history of the
agonies and atrocities that Africans have suffered through, Conrad continues to add darkness to the African history as if
Africans have not suffered enough already. Achebe displays his rationales on why Conrad was extremely racist in his
novella by saying that Conrad was blind. His xenophobia and his strong intention of condemning the darkness of
imperial exploitations led him to be unaware of the extent of racism in the book. The level of thought and insight in
Achebe's article proves useful in evaluating the topic of racism in Joseph Conrad's book. Though the article is
knowledgeable and articulate, the article shows some form of bias considering the fact that the author is an African
himself. The author's personal feelings led to him greatly

How Does Joseph Conrad Present The Ethical Insolvency Of...
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness demonstrates the questionable connection between the civilized and uncivilized,
colonizers and colonized. It additionally indicates how Kurtz affected the locals, and took them under his immediate
control by keeping up a legitimate position.The locals with losing their awareness made Kurtz a man with a
perfectpersonality. Haziness and wickedness originate from Kurtz's conduct.Through his character "Conrad depicts the
ethical insolvency of colonialism by indicating European intentions and activities as no better than African Fetishism
and brutality."(Brantlinger, 1999:197).Through this novel, Joseph Conrad fundamentally concentrates on the colonial
demeanor towards the colonized of that era. The way they dealt ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At home, they were deferential of their administrations. However, in the colonized areas they used themilitary forces
and constrained the natives to work without any inquiry.This is what was happening and that is why the indigenous
individuals encountered the mental impacts of "othering."European social philosophy is a sort of methodology to win
the heart of locals by demonstrating their purported blessing to civilize the savage individuals. Conrad uncovered the
degeneration of white men in Africa with a unique ethical vision. The fundamental point of any of "otheringdiscourse"
is to affirm the colonizers' predominance over their colonized subjects.It is a procedure to construct binaries described
by "Others"; these others are enthusiastic, regressive and savage while White are self, modern, sane, or disciplined. The
expression "othering" shows European state of mind towards different societies and creates two different categories; one
is human and prevalent and the other is sub–par and sub–human. European intellectuals deliberately or intentionally
created twofold clashes by depicting "Self" and "Other" representations through their writings. The locals are portrayed
as savages, wild and threatening upon the civilized world. In this way, European social belief system is a venture or a
framework that influences the brain of the indigenous individuals to push them to trust themselves as subjects.
Accordingly, "social colonialism" manages the issue of self–versus other and orient versus

Essay on Hearts of Darkness: Post Colonialism
Write a critique of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, based on your reading about post–colonialism and discussing
Conrad's view of African culture as "other." What would someone from Africa think about this work? "Heart of
Darkness" starts out in London and also ends there as well. Most of the story takes place in the Congo which is now
known as the Republic of the Congo. Heart of Darkness was essentially a transitional novel between the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. During the nineteenth century certain concepts in the story were considered unthinkable such as
cannibalism. The cultural relativism (which basically says that right and wrong are culture–specific) was a strong
sensibility during the nineteenth century which is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, he still managed to reap more reward, in the shape of ivory. Marlow's opinion of Imperialism is altered
several times based on his experiences with witnessing the lengths the Imperialists would go for profit. When Marlow
meets Kurtz he realizes that Kurtz himself has been conquered by the darkness and this changes his opinion regarding
Imperialism. The roles of Kurtz's fiance and his African mistress are significant characters in the story. The Europeans
don't realize that Kurtz lives a life of sin and consider him to be pure which contrasts with Marlow's knowledge of his
corruption. Conrad builds Kurtz's fiance up to symbolize the lack of presence of the British from the events in Africa.
She is distraught about Kurtz's death and ponders what might have been, had Kurtz not died. Kurtz's 'mistress' does not
appear to be grief–stricken, but is not happy as she is the only native still standing after Marlow sounded the steamer's
whistle. Kurtz's fiance's claimed she knew him best, but this was just an illusion as she was not aware of the sinful life
he lived. The memory she has of Kurtz is a lie; since Marlow did not tell her the truth. The women in Hearts of
Darkness have two sets of characteristics. First, they have the accepted Victorian values and then they have the post–
colonial values. The Victorian reading would portray Kurtz's fiance as feminine, beautiful, saintly and mourns Kurtz for
a long

Things Fall Apart Criticism
Throughout Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart, Achebe addresses various criticisms stated in an essay written
about Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In the article, written by Achebe, Achebe mentions Conrad's ruthless
denunciations on African people and their humanity, Africa as being an antithesis to Europe, and further–western desire
for things being in their place. Through these affirmations, Achebe argues mercilessly that Conrad is undeniably a racist,
and that Heart of Darkness is a toxic novella, which through its poeticism and dense imagery undermines a race with
utmost prejudice ("An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." 1–8). Moreover, as evidence will show,
one undoubtedly sees that these arguments transpire elegantly onto the pages within Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Achebe
argues that Conrad sets up Africa as an antithesis to Europe. For example, as Achebe points out, at the beginning of the
novella Conrad greets his readers with a gentle image of the River Thames. In contrast, later the River Congo is
described with clear opposition; in other words, the very opposite of soothing (Conrad 1, 35). Significant to this idea of
Africa being the antithesis to western culture, the same theme unfolds itself within Achebe's Things Fall Apart. The
appearance of an alien religion among the Igbo people is Achebe's primary way of manifesting this idea. Spreading like
a germ, the white man erects its churches and summons its missionaries among the Igbo

Heart Of Darkness Research Paper
The turn of the twentieth century lead to a new era of literature and society. During this time, people saw a new way of
literature and opened their eyes to an advanced world with the beginning and ending of both world wars. The Modern
period showed many authors attacking values and reflecting a greater degree of doubt throughout their work. Authors
especially criticized the belief of national exceptionalism. One author who argued against a central problem or defining
feature of this period was Joseph Conrad in his writing A Heart of Darkness. This story tells the journey of an
Englishman in the Congo, trying to save one of his fellow workers from the savage jungle. Throughout this novel,
readers can see Conrad denounce the action and purpose ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Through Marlow's journey, readers see the appalling tools of colonialism laid bare and the real reason behind Europe's
mindset is exposed. Conrad argues with the accusation of Europe and other countries who use violence to "civilize" land
and their inhabitants, as inhuman and savage. That the natives who are suppose to be helped are really not the
uncivilized people. Furthermore, the Europeans are barbaric due to their greed for wealth and power. The author
indicated this problem throughout Heart of Darkness, because he wanted people to question who was really "civilized"
and "savaged." His novel allowed people to see this defining feature of the Modern period in its true

The Distorted Images in Heart of Darkness
The distorted images in Heart of Darkness
Abstract
In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad exposes the evil of the imperialism and pays sympathy to the oppressed Africans.
But affected by imperialist ideology, he serves as a racist and a defender of the imperialism when he attempts to
condemn the colonizers. This paper will be analyzing the distorted images in Heart of darkness from the perspective of
post–colonialism and Orientalism theory.
The present paper is divided into five parts:
Part 1 is a brief introduction of the author as well as the main idea of the novella. It also makes a clear the writing
purpose of the thesis. Namely, to reveal and study Conrad's imperialist thought in light of the analysis of the distorted
images in the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Achebe says that "Heart of Darkness portrays the image of Africa as 'the other world,' the antithesis of Europe and
therefore of civilization, a place where man's vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant
bestiality". (15) Savagery and primitiveness which are the distorted images of Africans are evidently represented in the
novella.
2.1 The distorted African men.
2.1.1 The word "nigger" Conrad's attitude toward the black natives can easily be found from his vocabulary usage.
When he describes the natives, he seldom uses the common word "blacks" to show his respect toward them. For him,
they are no more than "niggers". According to Dorothy Hammond and Alta Jablow the word "nigger" had fallen into
disrepute by the 1880's, so there is little doubt that Conrad would have been aware in 1898 that the word "nigger" was
insulting (53). But, he still uses it in his novel. Conrad expresses deep sympathy for the native blacks, but he appears to
accept the inequality between white people and black people. Conrad would not use the word "brother", and the farthest
he would go was "kinship" in Heart of Darkness (Achebe 11). Recognizing this fundamental flaw in Conrad, Achebe
thus labels the white European author a "thoroughgoing racist" (11). The narrator in Hear of Darkness is Marlow not the
author Conrad. But actually, Marlow is the speaker of Conrad, whose narration shows the attitude of the author. Achebe
says that "Marlow seems to me to enjoy

Essay on Images of Africa in Heart of Darkness and Things...
Images of Africa in Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart
Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness portrays an image of Africa that is dark and inhuman. Not only does he
describe the actual, physical continent of Africa as "so hopeless and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so
pitiless to human weakness" (Conrad 94), as though the continent could neither breed nor support any true human life,
but he also manages to depict Africans as though they are not worthy of the respect commonly due to the white man. At
one point the main character, Marlow, describes one of the paths he follows: "Can't say I saw any road or any upkeep,
unless the body of a middle–aged negro, with a bullet–hole in the forehead, upon which I ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Darkness is everything that is unknown, primitive, evil, and impenetrable. To Conrad, Africa is the very representation
of darkness. Marlow often uses the phrase, "We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness" (Conrad 68), to
describe his progress on the Congo. By traveling farther and farther down the Congo, Marlow and his crew get closer
and closer to the epicenter of this foreboding darkness, to the black heart of evil. Because of Africa's physical immensity
and thick jungles, it appeared to be a land of the unknown where "the silence . . . went home to one's very heart–its
mystery, its greatness, the amazing reality of its concealed life"(56). This portrayal of Africa as both a romantic frontier
and a foreboding wilderness continues to dominate in the minds of Westerners even today.
Conrad depicts Africa as a land where the prehistoric has been preserved. He describes the journey up the Congo as
something similar to a trip on a time machine:
Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth
and the big trees were kings . . . There were moments when one's past came back to one, as it will sometimes when you
have not a moment to spare to yourself; but it came in the shape of an unrestful and noisy dream, remembered with
wonder amongst the overwhelming realities of this

Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' leaves the reader with a sense that something is not quite right in regards to late
nineteenth century society, and the human condition. Throughout the text, Marlow's vast descriptions of the landscape
leave a captivating, yet eery sensation on the reader. One must consider that Marlow's distinct lack of adjectival
emphasis towards the unnamed characters of the novella is done so to dehumanise members of society, whether they be
of western or eastern ethnicity. With only few members of this story being referred to by name, and the rest known only
as a title, or "Black figures", this lays a further emphasis on Conrad's focus on the barbaric nature of the Congo, and
thus, the inner darkness that resides in all of us. Literary critic Edward Said considers Conrad's dehumanisation of those
involved in this novella, and further develops his view that Conrad was demonstrating that there really was not much
difference between Imperialist and African society. In comparison, Chinua Achebe evaluates Conrad was a "a
thoroughgoing racist", and that he was fully aware of his biased rhetoric.
For Conrad, much consideration relating to the Imperialists' spread of "the germs of empire" was put forward
throughout the text. It is evident that Marlow's journey throughout the text can not only be seen as a literal path, yet a
metaphorical allegory of the continuous expansion and destruction led by western society. Through Achebe, the reader
considers whether

The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay
If postcolonial literature is the "process of dialogue and necessary correction," of misconceptions concerning
colonialism, then a comparative study of colonial and postcolonial works is essential for attaining a full understanding
of the far–reaching effects of European imperialism (Groden and Kreiswirth 582). Reading colonial literature in
dialogue with postcolonial literature engenders a more complete interpretation of the effects of imperialism by creating
a point of reference from which to begin the revelation and the healing of cultural wounds resultant from European
colonialism. Postcolonial literature reveals the lie of imperialism by suggesting that colonization was unsolicited by and
unjustly administered to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In "The Season of Phantasmal Peace," Walcott attempts to debunk the lie of imperialism. The poem, in the form of a
poetic fable, tells of the time when "all the nations of birds lifted together / the huge net of the shadows of this earth"
(1–2). Walcott's birds may represent the colonizers who came from many different nations and brought with them
"multitudinous dialects" (3). The specific birds that Walcott mentions geese, ospreys, starlings, and killdeer are all
migratory birds that nest in colonies. Like the European colonists, the birds travel many miles to enjoy the abundance of
natural resources in warmer climates. Walcott's poem seems to address the temporary nature of the colonists' occupation
of native lands and mourn the permanent effects that the disruption of native culture incurred. Walcott writes, "this
season lasted one moment...but for such as our earth is now, it lasted long" (33–35). The fact that the birds only
periodically nest together in a particular area could address the temporary occupation and the historical flight of
imperial nations from colonized lands. The purpose of Walcott's poem seems to require the reader's honest consideration
of the long–term effects of European imperialism on colonized peoples and their descendants.

Joseph Conrad 's Heart Of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's s novel Heart of Darkness portrays an image of Africa that is dark and inhuman. Not only does he
describe the actual, physical continent of Africa as "so hopeless and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so
pitiless to human weakness", (Conrad 154) as though the continent could neither breed nor support any true human life.
Conrad lived through a time when European colonies were scattered all over the world. This phenomenon and the
doctrine of colonialism bought into at his time obviously influenced his views at the time of Heart of Darkness
publication. Very few people saw anything amiss with colonialism in Africa and the African people. From a Eurocentric
point of view, colonialism was the natural next–step in any powerful countries political agenda. The colonizers did not
pay heed to the native peoples in their territories, nor did they think of the natives as anything but savages. In the Heart
of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses Marlow to contradict the acts of man and the destruction they brought forth to Africa
and their people. Conrad shows, through fiction, that the blindness and lack of morality in Africa allowed for the release
of the darkness from the hearts of the colonists. In the opening of his novel, Heart of Darkness, Conrad, through
Marlow, establishes his thoughts on colonialism. He says that conquerors only use brute force, "nothing to boast of"
(Conrad 13) because it arises, by accident, from another 's weakness. Marlow compares his

Heart Of Darkness Inhumanity

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