PS Culture and Communication
Prof. Manuela Kovalev
SS 2015
“Tintin in the Congo”- a critical analysis Lena Turek 1307748
Source: Tintin in the Congo. 1962 [1930]. Scanned by “Chicken Run” 2003.
Introduction
In 1929, Georges Remi (best known as Hergé) published “Tintin in the Land of the Soviets” (Tintin au pays des Soviets), the first comic strip that followed the adventures of Tintin and his loyal dog, Snowy. Hergé did not anticipate the success his series would have, both amongst adult and young readers. One year later he wrote “Tintin in the Congo” (Tintin au Congo) without ever having set foot in the central-African country. Depicting the Congolese in a rather stereotypical way, he revised the comic
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Since books for children transmit images, principles and values, I find this a particularly interesting field.
In the first part of the paper I will give an overview on colonialism, focusing on the Congo and its colonial past. I will then look into Hergé´s work and its criticism. My main question will be answered in the second part: How is colonialism reproduced in the comic “Tintin” by Hergé and what legal actions were taken against
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Patrice Émery Lumumba was the first democratically elected president of the “Democratic Republic of the Congo” (Curtis, 2002, p.37). The years after the “DCR” was established, the country was shaped by political instability, corruption and the fight to build up a nation with the ability to sustain itself. Since 2006, Joseph Kabila rules as the president of the DCR, but after he was re-elected in 2011, riots broke out in Kinshasa and official observers described that the election “lacked credibility” (Kara 2011: Online). Even though the DCR is a country with rich resources and a strong labour force, the country is still strongly determined by the colonial rule and the effect it had on the Congolese people, the countries´ economy and its social and political stability. Hergé with his depiction of the Belgian colonialism, willingly or not, reproduced many of the stereotypes embodied in the Belgian
The book mainly chronicles the efforts of King Leopold II of Belgium which is to make the Congo into a colonial empire. During the period that the European powers were carving up Africa, King Leopold II of Belgium seized for himself the vast and mostly unexplored territory surrounding the Congo River.
Alas, in 1961 Patrice Lumumba was assassinated by a US- sponsored plot 7 months after independence, and replaced him with a “puppet dictator named Mobutu” (Kingsolver). In her book, Barbara Kingsolver surfaces a forgotten part of our nation’s history in the exploitation of the Congo through her main characters, the Price family, who are missionaries sent to the Kilanga village. Through characters’ narratives that “double as allegories for the uneasy colonial marriage between the West and Africa” (Hamilton, Jones), Kingsolver creates a relatable way for her readers to understand the theme she is trying to convey, which is “‘what did we do to Africa, and how do we feel about it?’” (Snyder). Kingsolver began with this theme and developed the rest of the novel around it, just as she does with her other works, and sticking with her trademark technique, she utilizes her book as a vessel for “political activism, an extension of the anti-Vietnam protests” she participated in college (Snyder).
McLaughlin, Kathleen. ?U.N. Jobs Easing Plight in Congo? New York Times 22 Jan. 1961: 8.
King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism In 1865, King Leopold II succeeded his father to the throne of Belgium and thus began one of the most brutal and insensitive periods of imperialism ever to exist. From manipulative treaties to straight forward intimidation, Leopold dominated his empire like no other. He was cruel, deceptive, and downright evil, yet it took the world over twenty years to recognize this. The record of King Leopold’s atrocity is an interesting account of how a jealous man could inflict some of the most disgusting forms of oppression upon his fellow members of the human race.
Hochschild utilized a variety of resources to paint a very vivid picture of the Belgian occupation of the Congo. Particularly effective were the pictures he included. Although their placement seemed random, they showed a very stark, shocking reality that was needed to fully understand the crimes against humanity that the Congolese endured. Hochschild included background information on Leopold II himself, detailing his predilection for young girls, and an obsession with having a male heir and preserving his royal bloodline. Though it at time detracted from the story, it was, overall, necessary and helpful in comprehending the true greed of Leopold II. Hochschild was sure to place rightful blame on King Leopold, comparing him and the people who worked for him to nazis many times, making what happened in the Congo better understandable and more
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.
...teristic disparity of prestige between the two nations contrast greatly since the Belgian Congo was strictly a slave-state used for resources, the Belgians did not provide Western education to their subordinates. As light was shed on the abomination that was the Belgian Congo, historians and explorers flocked to see the inhumane treatment of the devastated colony. Joseph Conrad, a Polish novelist, narrates the character Charlie Marlow, a sailor at the time of imperialism, who had personally witnessed the treatment of the Congolese and said this," After all, that was only a savage sight, while I seemed at one bound to have been transported into some lightless region of subtle horrors, where pure, uncomplicated savagery was a positive relief, being something that had a right to exist—obviously—in the sunshine." (Marlow) Marlow refers sympathetically to the Congolese
Congo was an astounding bestseller novel. It was a great fictional novel that took place in the depths of the Congo rainforest. The novel was later made into a movie. Both the novel and the movie were good, however, I prefer the novel. It just seemed like a more entertaining piece than the movie. This movie was based much upon the novel, but had many alternatives and a completely different ending than the novel.
Since the late 1800’s, almost all of Africa had been under European colonial rule, but this changed drastically in 1960. Sixteen African nations gained their independence that year, including the former Belgian Congo, which became the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 30. One of the key personalities that made this possible was Patrice Lumumba, who experienced widespread support in gaining independence and became the first Prime Minister of the DROC. However, he lost much of this support once he was in office, and lasted fewer than 200 days. Lumumba’s ability to communicate was a key reason for his success and failure.
The film sends several clear messages to viewers. First, the Belgian colonialism significantly impacted on the fate of the nation. As the film indicates that when Rwanda became a protectorate of Belgium in 1919,
narrator of a journey up the Congo River into the heart of Africa, into the
... attention allowed economic exploitation in the Congo and its people devastated by human rights abuses, and even today the lack of international attention has caused many conflicts in and around the Congo. The economic exploitation of the Congo during colonial times robbed the country of wealth which could have been used to develop the land, and the lack of wealth has contributed to Congo’s poor standing in the world today. Lastly, the human rights abuses in the Congo Free State contributed to economic and political troubles during the colonial period and has continued into the present day, as human rights abuses are still prevalent in that region of Africa. Due to the lack of international attention, economic exploitation, and human rights abuses, the Congo Free State was harmful to the Congo region of Africa and its legacy continues to harm that region of Africa.
At the height of the conflict, about one third of the country's people were displaced. The chronic financial crisis became severe and the economy was close to collapsing. Poverty has become deeper in the rural areas of the Congo where poor people are now powerless, vulnerable and isolated. This is a big contributor to the poverty Congo is experiencing today, because little has improved and won’t improve until these problems are fixed. Overall, Central Africa’s dependence on agriculture could improve the wellbeing of the people but a long history of corruption, violence, and prevalent transportation issues have hindered an improvement in the economy resulting in poverty in the region.
One can easily note the physical and sexual violence brought upon the people (black and white) of Congo after independence, but we must locate the other forms of violence in order to bring the entire story of Patrice Lumumba to light. The director’s attempt at bringing the story of Patrice Lumumba to the “silver screen” had political intentions.
Over a period from 1960-1965, the first Republic of the Congo experienced a period of serious crisis. There was a terrible war for power that displayed senseless violence and the desperation to rule. There were many internal conflicts among the people. The country eventually gained independence from Belgium. For many countries this would be a time for celebration. Unfortunately for the people of the Congo this became a time to forget. Almost immediately after independence and the general elections, the country went into civil war. Major developed cities like Katanga and Kasai wanted to be independent from the Lumumba government. Different factions started to fight the government and Katanga and Kasai tried to secede from the rest of the country out of fear of the mutinous army that was out of control looting and killing.