Heart of Darkness: A Lesson in Imperfection Heart of Darkness should be taught in high school as long as the students are aware of its racism. Heart of Darkness shatters the view of imperialism that was held during the 19th century and Conrad’s opinion of it aligns with that of modern society. The use of language in the book can improve high schooler’s reading skills as well as help them separate form from substance as they will be able to see that the writing holds racist views. Finally, it is beneficial for students to understand that people can simultaneously have ethical and unethical values such as Conrad understanding how imperialism is a lie but also being racist towards Africans. Heart of Darkness should be taught to high schoolers …show more content…
The book features many poetic passages such as the description of the Thames, the description of the city Marlow visits, and the description of Kurtz’s mistress as well as his wife. To give an example, Marlow says “the fact dazzling, to be seen, like foam on the depths of the sea, like a ripple on an unfathomable enigma” (Conrad, 23), describing his confusion on why the Africans did not mutiny his steamer. Conrad’s verbose use of language is shown by using two similes to describe Marlow’s confusion. High schoolers can learn from this verbosity as it gives them plenty of examples of literary techniques to observe. However, racism lurks in this poetic writing. Achebe believes that the writing helps delay the reader from seeing Conrad’s racism. As Achebe describes it, “their impact in reality engaged in inducing hypnotic stupor in his readers through a bombardment of emotive words and other forms of trickery” (Achebe, 1785). If high schoolers approach the book equipped with the assumption of its racism, they can see the whited sepulchre of Conrad’s poetic writing. It may be beautiful but in substance but also holds racist beliefs. Thus, high schoolers can learn the division between form and substance. Heart of Darkness should be taught to high schoolers as its language can improve their reading skills and it also can, as long as they are aware of its …show more content…
The book was progressive for its time as it exposes the truth about imperialism. Conrad’s verbose use of language can improve high schooler’s writing skills and also help them separate form from substance as the text may be poetic but also racist. It is also beneficial for high schoolers to be exposed to books that have both progressive and harmful values as they can understand that not all books have to be morally perfect. If the reader were to agree with all the ideas in the book, it would be harmful so readers must approach knowing that the book is racist. Essentially, every copy of Heart of Darkness should be glued to a copy of Achebe’s
Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness uses character development and character analysis to really tell the story of European colonization. Within Conrad's characters one can find both racist and colonialist views, and it is the opinion, and the interpretation of the reader which decides what Conrad is really trying to say in his work.
In Heart of Darkness, cultural identity and the dominance of the European, white male is constructed and asserted through the constructions of the "other", that is the African natives and females, largely through language and setting. Thus, while claims of Conrad's forwardness in producing a text that critiques colonialism may be valid, Heart of Darkness is ultimately a product of it's time and therefore confirms the contextual notions of difference.
The novel gives rise to many questions. The first and important question is about Eurocentricism. How Joseph Conrad exposed Eurocentricism in Heart of Darkness? This Eurocentricism has different aspects. What are the Eurocentric aspects in the novel? The ideology is cruel and cause many problems. What is the real reason of colonization in the novel? The conditions of the colonized people are worse because of this ideology. What are conditions of colonized people in the novel? The nations have suffered badly due to this ideology. How Conrad exposed the exploitation of rights of the natives?
In the present era of decolonization, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness presents one of fiction’s 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 blindly accepting the arrogant attitude of the white male European and condemn Conrad to be a racist and imperialist. 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.
"I don't want to bother you much with what happened to me personally,' [Conrad] began, showing in this remark the weakness of many tellers of tales who seem so often unaware of what their audience would most like to hear" (Conrad, 9). Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad's best-known work, has been examined on many bases more than I can possibly list here, but including imperialism, colonialism, and racism. I would reason that all bases of analysis are perfectly acceptable through which to critique Conrad's novella, or any piece of writing. I would reason this, were some of these bases mainly, racism not taken to an extreme level. In arguing racism, many critics seem to take Heart of Darkness as Conrad's unwavering view on Africa, Africans, life, or whatever else one may please to take it as. I, therefore, propose that Heart of Darkness be taken for what it truly is: a work of fiction set in late 19th century Europe and Africa.
As Marlow assists the reader in understanding the story he tells, many inversions and contrasts are utilized in order to increase apperception of the true meaning it holds. One of the most commonly occurring divergences is the un orthodox implications that light and dark embody. Conrad’s Heart of Darkness brims with paradoxes and symbolism throughout its entirety, with the intent of assisting the reader in comprehending the truth of not only human nature, but of the world.
The mind is a wonderful thing. It allows us to think on three very different levels. One we choose to express, one we don’t choose to express, and one we do not even know exists. All these stages of thinking are clouded over in Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness. Three menacing forces occur that completely take over the white man to act inappropriately. They accuse others of acting savage, when they violently act against people of other cultures. They conform to specific beliefs, and push aside their subconscious thoughts. These men also have an abundance of ignorance that makes them feel false superiority. The Heart of Darkness reaches into the minds of readers, to prove that all of civilization is surrounded by an abundance of forces that can fog our mind, and darken our hearts.
The Heart of Darkness, a complex text was written by Joseph Conrad around the 19th century, when Europeans were colonizing Africa for wealth and power and were attempting to spread their culture and religion in Africa. It was also a period in which women were not allowed to participate in worldly affairs. Therefore, the text deals with issues such as racism, European imperialism, and misogyny. This essay will look at the different themes in the novel and argue whether or not The Heart of Darkness is a work of art.
In recent years, the debate over the merits versus the racial shortcomings of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness has raged hot. Many, notably David Denby and Chinua Achebe, have come down on one side or another of the issue. I contend, with the help of the written opinions of Denby and Achebe, that Heart of Darkness, while racist in its views, is nonetheless a valuable and commendable work of art.
Comparisons and contrasts are important devices which an author may use to help convey his thoughts and feelings about a situation or an event. Joseph Conrad makes use of these devices in his novel Heart of Darkness. Throughout the novel when he was trying to convey a deeper meaning about a situation or a place, he would us a comparison or contrast. The comparative and contrasting themes in the story help to develop Conrad's ideas and feelings in the Heart of Darkness. Light verses dark, the Thames verses the Congo, the Savages compared to the civilized people, and the darkness of both worlds are all contrasts and comparisons that are important to the meaning as well as the understanding of this novel.
Achebe argues that the racist observed in the Heart of Darkness is expressed due to the western psychology or as Achebe states “desire,” this being to show Africa as an antithesis to Europe. He first states Conrad as “one of the great stylists of modern fiction.” [pg.1] He praises Conrad’s talents in writing but believes Conrad’s obvious racism has not been addressed. He later describes in more detail that Conrad’s “methods amount to no more than a steady, ponderous, fake-ritualistic repetition of two antithetical sentences.”
Anyone can read Heart Of Darkness and easily sense the attitude of Conrad toward English politics. Many times throughout Heart Of Darkness Conrad points out the pointlessness and savagery of English colonization. Conrad also comments a bit on society as a whole. With these two ideas added to the book, there is no wonder of why Heart of Darkness is such a touching novel.
In the novel Heart of Darkness, there are several themes including Good versus Evil, Power, Femininity, and Fate. Two themes are further prevalent and significant. These themes are restraint and identity. They are the two most noteworthy themes in the book because both capitalize on the complexity and flaws of human nature.
Heart of Darkness is a story in which racism presents itself so deliberately that, for many, the dilemma of race must be tackled before anything else in the book may be dealt with. Conrad used derogatory, outdated and offensive terminology to devaluate people’s color as savages. This use of language disturbs many readers who read this book. Although Conrad uses racist language in this book, it doesn’t mean that he is really racist. When we look at the language, we are just looking at the very surface of the story.
Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." Heart of Darkness: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Sources, Essays in Criticism. 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: W.W. Norton, 1988. 251-262.