Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
analytical Essay
1804 words
Title
One example that could be considered racist is in Chapter one. In this paragraph, Joseph Conrad is talking about how the Europeans are colonizing Africa and what they are doing to the natives in the process. He says that the Europeans are at fault for many things, including extremely violent robbery and the murders of numerous people. He is speaking about the reality of colonization and how in the end, countries will only care about making money off of it. He said they accomplish this by using “brute force,” which obviously means violence and killing. The European countries wanted to take away Africa from those who had “a different complexion or slightly flatter noses.” Up until this point, it does not seem as if Conrad is using any racist ideas. However, he then goes on to say that all of this is acceptable because it will be worth it in the end. In other words, he was trying to say that the end will justify the means, no matter how many innocent people must be hurt in the process (page 8).
Furthermore, in this same passage, Joseph Conrad describes this whole ordeal as actually being a rather unselfish idea. He says that the men doing all of this in Africa are actually making some sort of sacrifice. Also, in the passage it says that this is something others will “bow down before” and worship. What the Europeans were doing in Africa should in no way be worshipped or seen as a sacrifice. They did not sacrifice themselves; if anyone were sacrificed in this situation, it would be each and every one of the innocent Africans. This idea that Conrad presents could definitely be seen as racist, because what those men did was not right by any means, and they should definitely not be worshipped for it (page 8).
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...l in sense by calling it “satanic litany.” Again, just because they were speaking a different language does not give Conrad to describe it as being evil and not human. It seems as though he thinks the Europeans were superior to the Africans just because the language they spoke was different and unfamiliar to them (pg 78).
In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, almost all of the racism is directed towards the Africans. However, there is one example in which there was racism towards another person. Marlow overhears a conversation one night and discovered that the manager thought the Russian trader, who was a friend of Kurtz’s, should be hanged. The manager wants to kill this man only because he is not exactly the same as him, which is similar to the fact that the Europeans thought they were better than the Africans because they were different (pg 72).
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad does not think the africans can be seen as humans. marlow refers to the man as a specimen, which shows that he saw them as animals and not human beings.
- Analyzes how marlow's encounter with the accountant shows how insensitive he was to everything that was going on around him. the europeans did not care about how the africans were suffering.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's quote about the europeans' colonization of africa could be considered racist.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad can be seen as a racist because he writes about the idea that blacks and whites are not equal.
Related
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- Racism In Joseph Conrad's The Heart Of Darknessanalytical essayAlthough, words such as the n-word and relatively vulgar descriptions are utilized throughout the novel, that does not mean they are there simply to belittle the Africans. A leader in the racist side of this campaign is Chinua Achebe who strongly believes that Joseph Conrad’s purpose for this novel was to express his racist views. On the other side, is Caryl Phillips who interviewed Achebe and questioned his ideas. In an interview between two, Achebe said, “ ‘Conrad didn’t like black people. Great artists manage to be bigger than their times. In the case of Conrad you can actually show that there were people at the same time of him, and before him, who were not racists with regard to African’ ” (Phillips 5). In this statement, Achebe is suggesting that Conrad had no right to write the way he did because there were people at the time that were not racist, so why should he be? This, however, is false because Conrad did not write this novel being racist, but instead being part of his time. During the end of the nineteenth-century and beginning of the twentieth, the general consensus of the European population would have, what we now would believe, to be negative views on others that were not them. Although we see them as negative now, that is not how it was seen in the that time period. For instance, the narrator says, “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 king” (Conrad 41). Clearly, Europeans had an entirely different view on the world outside of their country. That is not their fault and Conrad was a part this society. He simply wrote with the views and understandings of the world around that his culture had at that
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how racism has played a substantial role in shaping civilization. literature, movies, and songs have all through the years reflected the views of the time period, some even going as far to shape people's views in the future.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe believes that joseph conrad's purpose for the heart of darkness was to express his racist views.
- Analyzes how conrad portrayed colonialism as a negative force that only went to africa to work and acquire resources.
- Analyzes how conrad is showing sympathy towards those being discriminated against in his novel. he emphasizes the horrors of africa caused by european influence.
- Analyzes how conrad had no intentions of coming off as racist to his audience, but instead was working with the general views of his time period.
1255 wordsRead More - Criticism Of The Belgian Congo: The Belgian Free Stateanalytical essayThis can be shown through the way that Marlow describes some of the Africans he comes across on his journey though the Belgian Congo. The following line shows how Marlow described one of the Africans, “Their headman, a young, broad-chested, severely draped in dark-blue fringed cloths, with a fierce nostril and his hair all done up artfully in oily ringlets, stood near me” (Conrad 330). Some feel this shows how Conrad is racist because he writes such an in-depth description of how the African looks different than someone he is used to seeing. It can be thought that Conrad thinks the way he looks is weird, but in truth he writes this description because he does not yet fully understand the African culture, not many people of his time did understand it yet. Conrad and Marlow understand the concept of them both being man and having the same physical and mental abilities, but they are just still trying to figure out how they live, dress, act and many other things. All Conrad wanted to do was help the lives of the
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the belgian congo was owned by king leopold, who bribed the africans and tricked them into giving up their land. edwin morel discovered boat records, and joseph conrad wrote "heart of darkness."
- Analyzes how marlow's main goal is to reach kurtz, the colonialist in the belgian congo who has rule and power over the africans.
- Analyzes how marlow, like conrad, was dissatisfied with the belgian congo's inhumane and degrading treatment of africans.
- Argues that conrad can still be called a racist because he calls the africans by derogatory names — marlow at times will refer to them with names that today are not acceptable.
- Analyzes how conrad portrays marlow as seeing the africans shows that he is not a racist.
- Analyzes how conrad saw a common denominator between himself and the africans, but he was still quick to judge their culture and appearances.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's "heart of darkness" proves that he is not a racist based on his hatred for the belgian "pilgrims"
- Analyzes how marlow and conrad view kurtz differently, arguing that he is not a racist because of his hatred for the belgians.
1825 wordsRead More - Conrad: Blatant Racist Or Political Satirist?analytical essayThere have been many critics, predominantly Chinua Achebe, that have cast a cloak of racism upon the back of Joseph Conrad. Those authors base these allegations upon the novel Heart of Darkness, calling it a vile and most ungodly novel that only seeks to set the black race as a footstool of the white race. However, one must realize that there is a much deeper meaning to the novel than that of blatant racism. It is, in fact, a connection with the past that shows both the mindset, as well as the ignorance, of those who colonized Africa in the late nineteenth century.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe has cast a cloak of racism upon joseph conrad's back, calling it vile and ungodly. however, the connection with the past shows both the mindset, and the ignorance, of those who colonized africa in the late nineteenth century.
- Analyzes how charlie marlow retells his story of how he encountered a force that could only be described as "the horror, the horror." the reader must understand that these words are not only of the protagonist, but also of conrad.
- Analyzes how conrad shows his satirical capabilities by showing the hypocritical mindset of europe that existed through the span of 400 years.
- Analyzes how the conrad captures the feelings of the natives whom the europeans suppress.
- Analyzes how marlow respects the accountant who keeps an impressive appearance in contrast to the "great demoralization of the land."
- Analyzes how conrad plays double-duty by associating all of europe to both the company and the woman.
- Analyzes how conrad insinuates that the white race is above the natives of the african jungle, but kurtz becomes an example of such behavior later in the novel.
- Analyzes how kurtz is the most recognized symbol of european imperialism in the novel. he is a top agent, skilled collector, master of rhetoric, and god to anyone he meets.
- Analyzes how conrad shares golding's belief that all men, if left without proper restraints, will eventually become corrupt and give themselves over to the whims of their desires.
- Analyzes how conrad's writing of heart of darkness was to show the potential of what man could become, and what he already was.
1367 wordsRead More - Dehumanizationanalytical essayOf course, this book is about the darkness of imperialism. There is bound to be some derogatory words said about the country and people being colonized. In the story, we can definitely tell the neither Conrad nor Marlow think highly of Africa. We see Marlow describing the African with animalistic descriptions. He says, “while I stood horror struck, on of these creatures rose…and went off on all fours…and after a time let his woolly he ad fall” (**). This quote shows me the Marlow saw them like animals. By relating a person to an animal, you take away the human being in them. In the book Marlow also says, “Sad, but true. And these chaps, too, had no ear they reason for any kind of scruple” (**). All Europeans, including Marlow, think that the cannibal or the African have no real reason to cause a problem. They think that their thought is not more important than them. It is our brain the separates people from animal, so when I think someone’s oppinons or thoughts aren’t important I am really treating unlike a person but more like an animal. These quotes are a proof of the dehumanization methods Conrad uses towards the Africans.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how conrad's writing shows that the characters in the novel are human qualities. they are blinded by greed and lost themselves to want and desire.
- Analyzes how conrad and marlow dehumanize the africans by describing them as animals.
- Analyzes how conrad takes from the african humanity and does the same towards the europeans.
- Analyzes how conrad portrays mr. kurtz as not fully human by saying he was "hollow at the core" and "indistinct" a "vapor".
- Analyzes how conrad's quote sums up what he is trying to tell us about dehumanization.
- Analyzes how conrad describes his characters using animal-like or physical descriptions. they feel uncompassionate towards the characters, especially marlow.
1050 wordsRead More - Misnomer In Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conradanalytical essayHe states in his essay about the novella and racism that, “Conrad makes it clear that Kurtz’s corruption comes not from Africans but from Europe and from Kurtz himself” (pg.371). Clearly the savagery is originating from Europe, the corruption, and racism of imperialism is creating the savages we come to see in the novel. They are the “utter savagery” (pg.6) felt and surrounding Kurtz or anyone who believed it was okay to go into the Congo without actually helping the native people. Although Hunt later says that, “Conrad continues to place them in the category of “savages” and “barbarian””(pg.371), he proves that Conrad did have respect for the natives and praised them. It was just that in that era speaking with racist wording or having racist thoughts was a social norm, therefore when writing the novel that came into play. Hawkins never intended to say Conrad was a racist or that he believed that the natives were the savages, he was proving the point that that era had racist social norms that could lead to that misinterpretation. Therefore, Hunt would agree that the passage on page six is clear vague description of the whites who were the savages for their imperialistic, brutal, and careless
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the narrator, marlow, uses the word "savagery" with such passion that the reader has to wonder who he is speaking about.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad wrote his novella years after having travelled the congo. he felt sympathy towards the natives and what they are going through.
- Analyzes how the passage on page six is almost a description of kurtz near his death, when he said his last words.
- Analyzes how the savages were revolving around the time conrad published his novella. alfred russell wallace believed we all came from a common ancestor, but europeans developed faster and became superior.
- Analyzes how hunt hawkins agrees that the savagery found in the heart of darkness is from the europeans.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad wanted the motif of savagery to be a question of who was or was not the
1617 wordsRead More - Racial Comments in Joseph Conrad´s Heart of Darknessanalytical essayJoseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness has been the cause of racial arguments debating whether it should be read nowadays. The way Conrad describes African Americans troubles several critics, Achebe in particular. Achebe disagrees with Conrad’s novel so much because in it Conrad dehumanizes African and Achebe won’t let anyone lower his humanity.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel heart of darkness has been the cause of racial arguments debating whether it should be read nowadays.
- Analyzes how achebe compares conrad as being "no more a great artist than another who may be called priests who read the mass backwards or physicians who poison his patients."
- Analyzes how achebe labels conrad's novel a racist, especially when he describes africans in an appalling way, whereas whites are great humans.
- Analyzes how achebe is troubled by the way conrad describes his people, uncivilized, and makes africans appear less humane than he has already done.
- Analyzes how conrad is horrified that they could be or are in any way like him. he doesn't view africans equally; he doesn’t consider them human.
- Concludes that conrad's novel heart of darkness is racist and believes that africans are savages who should be exterminated.
592 wordsRead More - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conradanalytical essayIt is hard to find a more profound description of the colonialist ideal of the 19th century, than how it is illustrated in Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness. The story revolves around Marlowe, a steamboat captain in Belgian Congo, who is assigned to find Kurtz, an ivory trader, who has distanced himself from the rest of the trading company and gone into the deeper parts of Africa.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad depicts the psychological shift in marlowe's travels upriver. the congo river symbolizes a road away from civilization, and the feeling of claustrophobia and disconnect.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel reveals a man almost free from prejudices and meets the other characters with some incredulity.
- Analyzes how kurtz was sent to congo because of his charismatic leadership and understanding of the power of word, which has led him to one of europe's most prestigious trading stations.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's novel heart of darkness depicts the colonialist ideal of the 19th century.
751 wordsRead More - Author Bias in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darknessanalytical essayConrad’s main character Marlow is the narrator for most of the story in Heart of Darkness. He is presented as a well-intentioned person, and along his travels he is shocked by the cruelties that he sees inflicted on the native people. Though he is seemingly benevolent and kindly, Marlow shows the racism and ignorance of Conrad and in fact of the majority of white people in his era, in a more subtle way. Marlow uses words to describe the blacks that, though generally accepted in his time, were slanderous and crude. He recalls that some of the first natives he saw in the Congo looked at him “with that complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages” (80; part 1). Marlow casually refers to the Africans with the most offensive of language: “Strings of dusty niggers arrived and departed…” (83; part 1). To Marlow, and thus to Conrad, the Africans are savages, dogs, devils, and criminals. Even the stories that Conrad creates for Marlow to narrate are twisted and false. The natives that Marlow deals with in the book are described as cannibals, and they are even given dialogue that affirms th...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's secondary character, mr. kurtz, exemplifies the darker side of white society, and it is obvious that he wished to bring these traits to light.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe was offended by conrad's novella heart of darkness and admits his indignation at that and other examples of ignorance were his biggest motivation for his book things fall apart.
- Analyzes how heart of darkness and things fall apart present opposing views of the victorian era colonization. marlow and kurtz display racism of white europeans through ignorance and cruelty, while okonkwo exemplifies the anger and sorrow that africans felt at having their homes and customs destroyed.
- Explains that achebe, chinua. things fall apart. first anchor books edition. new york, ny: random house, 1959.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad and chinua achebe show their opinions on the relations between native africans and european colonists in the victorian era, and the races themselves.
1025 wordsRead More - Criticism In China Achebe's Heart Of Darknessanalytical essayIn fact Conrad referees to the Africans as uncivilized people in some points in the novel, but he also proves that they are primitive people. For example, when one of the natives says to Marlow pointing to a man "catch 'im , Give 'im to us" so that he could "eat 'im" and he get surprised when he knows that Europeans kill thousands of people without eating them and asked Marlow "then why do they kill 'im". Marlow distances himself from the Europeans who are pretending to be civilized and kill thousands of innocents for the sake of killing while the natives kill people for their basic
In this essay, the author
- Disagrees with china achebe's article of heart of darkness, which is narrated from the perspective of the main characters marlow who has never been exposed to the african culture before.
- Analyzes how conrad juxtaposes the thames river with the congo river, saying that europe has overcome its savagery, and that london and the europeans aren't much different.
- Analyzes how conrad differentiates between primitivism and evil in a sense of the attitude of africans and europeans towards people.
- Analyzes how marlow is like any other european in describing the africans as "savages" or "cannibals", but this is only happens in the beginning of the novel.
- Analyzes how achebe's article "heart of darkness" is a complex description of "disintegration of the mind of mr. kurtz" and the depiction of africa highlights what the europeans did to achieve their purpose.
- Analyzes how conrad uses the technique of duality to contrast between the african culture lack of development and the european culture development.
- Concludes that achebe's article is a one-sided argument, based on the perspective of racism. he needs to notice that the novel was written in 1902.
737 wordsRead More - Prejudice in Heart of Darkness - Racism in the Heartopinion essayI find no elements of racism in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I will admit that I began reading this with a little hesitation based on the fact that I do not like to read about human cruelty. However, after reading the story, I did not feel any negative feelings toward the story or author.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that there are no elements of racism in joseph conrad's heart of darkness.
- Illustrates how marlow's encounter with african people stays with him throughout his time in the congo.
- Opines that marlow was never cruel to his black crewmembers. after his helmsman died in the attack ordered by kurtz, he was shaken.
- Analyzes how marlow saw the pilgrims poising themselves to shoot the natives that had lined up along the river after retrieving kurtz. he blows the steamers horn knowing it would scare them back into the forest.
- Analyzes how marlow compares the death of kurtz to his helmsman, saying he was not prepared to affirm the fellow was worth the life lost in getting to him.
- Agrees with candace bradley's opinion that conrad only uses the term "nigger" when referring to a negative action performed by another toward the black man.
- Analyzes how conrad suggests that women are in a different world, but is taken with the black women who emerge out of the forest. marlow describes her appearance and movements.
- Opines that joseph conrad appears not to be a racist after all the incidents i have cited.
587 wordsRead More