My interest in Joseph Conrad is centered around understanding what brought him to the Congo and how the events that transpired there influenced his attitudes in Heart of Darkness. I also wanted to gain a greater understanding of the historical events that led to the colonization of the Congo. This interest is basically grounded in the fact that prior to my exposure to Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart, I knew virtually nothing about what actually led to the colonization of the area. It is my hope that through researching these areas I will have a deeper understanding of the two novels that focused on the Congo.
In the article, "Post-colonial Literatures and Counter-discourse," Helen Tiffin raises a number of issues in regards to the hybridization of the colonized and how European universals invariably clash with that of the native. From the very beginning of the article, Tiffin notes that there is a "call to arms" (so to speak) that encompasses the "demand for an entirely new or wholly recovered 'reality,' free from all colonial taint" (95). This hope is idealistic, especially when evaluating the role that the English language plays in the lives of those who are colonized. Tiffin realizes this fact and views most post-colonial literature as a "counter-discursive" mode of expression that is highly involved in "challenging the notion of literary universality" (96).
The most interesting challenge raised by this European universality is the fact that many post-colonial authors use English as the means to express or disassemble notions of these supposed commonly held mores, thereby creating a hybridized literature. Tiffin notes that in a "canonical counter-discourse . . . [the] post-colo...
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...Victory, an Island Tale, 1915.
Within the Tides, 1915 (contents: "The Partner," 1911; "The Inn of the Two Witches," 1913; "Because of the Dollars," 1914; "The Planter of Malata," 1914).
The Shadow-Line, a Confession, 1917.
The Arrow of Gold, a Story Between two Notes, 1919.
The Rescue: A Romance of the Shallows, 1920.
Notes on Life and Letters, 1921.
The Secret Agent, Drama in Four Acts, 1921 (adaptation of the novel).
The Rover, 1923.
Laughing Anne, a Play, 1923 (adaptation of "Because of the Dollars").
The Nature of a Crime, With Ford Madox Hueffer, 1924 (written in 1908).
Suspense, a Napoleonic Novel, 1925 (incomplete).
Tales of Hearsay, 1925 (contents: "The Black Mate," 1908; "Prince Roman," 1911; "The Tale," 1917; "The Warriors Soul," 1917).
Last Essays, 1926.
The Sisters, 1928 (written in 1896, incomplete).
The Norton Anthology: American Literature, Volume A: Beginning to 1820. New York City: Norton & Comany, 2007.
The colony is not only a possibility in the geographical; it is a mental dominance that can imperialize the entire self. Entire continents have be domineered, resources completely dried, and at colonialism’s usual worst, the mental devastation of the indigenous culture has left a people hollow. Indigenous culture is no longer that. In the globalized world, no culture is autonomous; culture cannot breathe without new ideas and new perspectives, perspectives that have traditionally come from the people who have lived within the culture. But, the imposition of dominant cultures has certainly benefited from culture’s own vulnerability, as global similarities now exist throughout most different, yet not separate cultures. Postcolonialism is imperialism with a mask on, nothing less. As Franz Fanon puts it “that imperialism which today is fighting against a s true liberation of mankind leaves in its wake here and there tinctures of decay which we must search out and mercilessly expel from our land and our spirits.”
Zins, Henryk S. "Joseph Conrad and the Early British Critics of Colonialism in the Congo." Lubelskie Materiały Neofilologiczne 22.(1998): 155-169. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Sun. 08 May 2011.
In C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis emphasizes the three points of philosophy, themes, and symbolism throughout his writing. Lewis was a strong Christian man, and wanted to make children see and understand all the stories of the Bible. Therefore, he put Christian elements through his books, but with fantasy characters as well. Especially in this story, Lewis conveys the differences between good and evil. Aslan is represented as Christ just as the White Witch represents the sense of evil. Lewis wrote several books in this Narnia series, but The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe became the most famous and recognized of his novels.
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.” Clive Staples Lewis, known as C.S. Lewis, was a popular Irish author, famous for his Christian works, especially “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Throughout his novels, Lewis enlightened his readers with his views about faith. Although his novels were revolved around Christianity, Lewis was not always a believer. There were many things that influenced Lewis as a writer, but the most significant were his love of fantasy, his fascination with mythology, and his Christian beliefs.
The Narnia Chronicles are C.S. Lewis’ most recognized work and although they are considered to be a form of children’s literature, they are also widely popular with Christian theologians. C.S. Lewis was not a predominantly religious man. At a young age, he declared himself an atheist. Even though he was raised in a religious community, C.S. Lewis argued that ecclesiastical sermons were tedious and dull. However, influenced by writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis converted to Christianity in 1931. In this sense, although C.S. may have resented religious dogma, he recognized the literary qualities of scripture and how it could benefit his work. Therefore, writers such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were described as “devout Christians” . Although many secondary sources would argue that the Narnia Chronicles are an example of religious allegory, C.S. Lewis is hesitant to say so.
Joseph Conrad’s own experiences during his trip through the Congo helped him provide a foundation for the writing of Heart of Darkness. In 1890, Conrad took a job as a captain on the river steamer Kinshasa. Before Conrad took this job, he had worked for the French merchant navy as a way to escape Russian military service and also to escape the emotional troubles that had plagued him. Conrad had been in a financial crisis that was resolved with help from his uncle. After this series of events, Conrad joined the British merchant navy at the beckoning of his uncle and took the job as the captain of a steamboat in the Congo River. An important fact to remember is that Conrad was a young and inexperienced man when he was exposed to the harsh and dangerous life of a sailor. His experiences in the West Indies and especially in the Belgium Congo were eye opening and facilitated his strong outlooks that are reflected in the book Heart of Darkness. Conrad’s journey through the Belgian Congo gave him the experiences and knowledge to write about a place that most Europeans would never see in their lives.
Through a magical doorway, past the golden thrones, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was created by C.S. Lewis, in 1950, in England. Over the course of the past 64 years, this book has become one of the most famous books in the world. Lewis was “one of the most commercially successful authors” (The Life & Faith of C.S. Lewis: The Magic Never Ends). The hidden archetypes and intricate themes in this book are what sets it apart from others.
Looking at Wicked from a child’s point of view, you only see the surface. A surface full of brilliant colors and magical beings. But instead, there is much more to the story than just that. Looking at the story from a feminist/gender critic’s view, you begin to see the layers unfolding one at a time. You understand that there is more to it than just what is on the outside. They see masculinity as well as sexism tied into the story of the Wizard of Oz, as well as Wicked. They are able to find a more elaborate meaning as to why the books are written, and why the stories are told.
...egory, challenged the reader with complex themes and employed a plethora of mythical creatures is the reason for the success of the series. However, another reason for the popularity of the books has not yet been mentioned. Their acclaim comes from the way they illustrate the real world through Aslan. “It is as if Aslan offers a mirror in which we see ourselves as we really are. Or a light which reveals what we are really like, no matter how uncomfortable this may be” (McGrath). Lewis magically surpassed the barrier between fantasy and reality so that the reader finds parts of himself reflected in the books. The enchantment of Narnia leaps off the pages so that the morals and characters remain with the reader long after the book has closed. Somehow, Narnia is as tangible as planet earth in the mind of the reader. That is the true charm of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Overflowing with Christian symbolism, The Chronicles of Narnia has enriched the lives of children of all ages for over half a century. C. S. Lewis revealed the origination of his "Masterpiece of Christian Allegory.” "The whole Narnian story is about Christ. That is to say, I asked myself ‘Supposing that there really was a world like Narnia and supposing it had (like our world) gone wrong and supposing Christ wanted to go into that world and save it (as He did ours), what might have happened?’ The stories are my answers. Since Narnia is a world of Talking Beasts, I thought He would become a Talking Beast there, as He became a man here. I pictured Him becoming a lion there because (a) the lion is supposed to be the king of beasts; (b) Christ
CS Lewis was a Christian author who used his imagination to both entertain and inspire. The film 'The Chronicles of Narnia', produced by Mark Johnson and Philip Stuer, is a cinematic adaptation of the book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The book is the first in a series of seven books Lewis wrote titled The Chronicles of Narnia. The movie has a very strong alignment with the Bible, some of the ways this is conveyed are: through the use of plot, set design, symbolism, characters and the way the characters represent biblical figures through their role and appearance in the movie. This can be proved by looking at the script and exploring the similarities between the movie and biblical stories, as well as imagery bringing the Christian connection closer.
Joseph Conrad wrote the book, Heart of Darkness, in 1898. He wrote this book touching on many different themes such as imperialism and commerce, darkness imagery, dream and nightmare, isolation, mental and physical illness, truth, and journey. Although all the themes are important to make Heart of Darkness complete, three prevail overall: imperialism and commerce, truth, and journey. Being the author of the book, Joseph Conrad had a personal connection to it. He took his own journey down the Congo River and like Marlow, said that as a child his dreams were to grow up and explore the heart of Africa. A family member also recommended Conrad to a company. Joseph Conrad experienced the "heart of darkness", that could be a reason why his book is so in-depth.
Edgar Allan Poe was a literary genius of his time. His works may seem eccentric but beneath the words and stories lies a solemn, alone boy whose only way of comfort and relief was through his pen. Of the critical reviews I have studied pertaining to Poe, never has such a varied difference of opinions been presented or suggested towards a writer. It is thought that his life had a major influence on his writing and by reading many of his pieces I agree with that statement.
Postcolonial authors use their literature and poetry to solidify, through criticism and celebration, an emerging national identity, which they have taken on the responsibility of representing. Surely, the reevaluation of national identity is an eventual and essential result of a country gaining independence from a colonial power, or a country emerging from a fledgling settler colony. However, to claim to be representative of that entire identity is a huge undertaking for an author trying to convey a postcolonial message. Each nation, province, island, state, neighborhood and individual is its own unique amalgamation of history, culture, language and tradition. Only by understanding and embracing the idea of cultural hybridity when attempting to explore the concept of national identity can any one individual, or nation, truly hope to understand or communicate the lasting effects of the colonial process.