The Blacks and Whites of Heart of Darkness
analytical Essay
1834 words
Every human being is born into a race and a culture. These are what separate one person from another. Is it possible to fit into a place where you don't belong? Your culture and race does not make you who you are, but they do play an important role in molding you. They can limit our beliefs in ourselves and which tasks we find important to learn how to do. With all of these afflictions, we do seam to be on a train with a one way track. Our lives appear as if they are set before us, just waiting for our shoes to fit the roles described therein. Natives have there roles which are separate and different from the foreigners, but how far do they differ? There are many Natives portrayed throughout the text but they are typically over shadowed and overlooked as they are not the center of attention for the reader. The first time that the slaves step into the world of the readers they are portrayed as death, not even human: “They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom.” (Conrad 14) This is a very descriptive and flowing way for Conrad to introduce the slaves. With such a brief description, described through the eyes of the foreigner, Marlow, we can achieve the level of acceptance between the two races. It is nonexistent. The Natives are but black ghosts. Here we see the ignorance of the white man at its best. The whites in this novella ignore torture and disregard the Africans. Throughout most of Marlow's voyage there was this ignorance present even upon his ship. The ship contained pilgrims and Natives alike, these were ideal to running the steam boat and the Natives aboard were mistreated greatly. ... ... middle of paper ... ...orking in the boiler room our destinies and roles in life do not have to be based on what our cultural trends are. There are many other things to look at, different opinions, personalities and backgrounds, that create the essence of a human being. So much that simple blacks and whites can't capture or contain. So get out your crayons and with a little use of creativity make your life into what you want it to be. Works Cited Page Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Unabridged. United States: Dover publications, 1990. Print. “Savage.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 08 Dec. 2010. . Achebe, Chinua. “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness.” Massachusetts Review. W.M. Norton and Co. n.d. Web. 9 Dec.2010. .
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the whites in marlow's novella ignore torture and disregard the africans. the ship contained pilgrims and natives alike, who were ideal to running the steam boat.
- Analyzes how the natives, by force, are the hands and feet of the white man. they are beneficial to the intruders who seam but utterly helpless on their own in many situations.
- Analyzes how racism in this novella does not affect the light side and dark sides. kurtz mistreats the africans, becomes selfish about the ivory, and entrusts himself with ity to do what he may.
- Analyzes how conrad's book is a racist comparison of the evil in africans to the great amount of good in the whites.
- Opines that everyone is born into a certain type of life, and the life styles around them greatly influence them. however, their destinies and roles in life don't have to be based on cultural trends.
- Analyzes achebe, chinua's "an image of africa: racism in conrad’s ‘heart of darkness.
- Analyzes how conrad introduces the natives, who are overshadowed and overlooked as they are not the center of attention for the reader.
- Analyzes how conrad does not hide the faults of the white race, and by revealing them ity of their rights to africa is in question.
Related
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- Heart Of Darkness Critical Analysisanalytical essayHeart of Darkness was based on Conrad’s personal experience in the Congo in 1890, during this time King Leopold of Belgium colonizes Central Africa and forms the Congo Free State. Leopold 's original purpose for colonizing Congo was to harvest Ivory. As a consequence, King Leopold, who was a tyrant used his powers and weapons to force the Congolese’s to work to death. In the same way, that the Hearth of Darkness unfolds; it shares the similarity in which the people of Congo were treated under the authority of Leopold. “The work as going on. The work! And this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die: “They were dying slowly—it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now,
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how heart of darkness is based on conrad's personal experience in the congo in 1890, during which king leopold of belgium colonizes central africa.
- Analyzes how marlow's exaggeration in detailing black people like an animal and at the same time acting surprised that their body the description of a human being is overtly racist.
- Analyzes how oblivious the critics are to racialism by ignoring the stereotypes and ruthless language that are used to depict the congolese people.
- Analyzes how the novel is an important document because it shows africa based on conrad’s experience, and especially since it was considerate to be a piece of art by critics.
1349 wordsRead More - Conrad: Blatant Racist Or Political Satirist?analytical essayConrad was a master of prose as many critics admitted, even those who proclaimed him a racist. The writing of Heart of Darkness was not only to show the potential of what man could become, but what he already was. Marlow is the everyday man, longing to become something that he cannot even fathom. Kurtz was the ideal man that Marlow, or any man for that matter, longed to become. Kurtz was tormented in his last days because he saw the evil that was in European trade and imperialism. In this, he finds a reassuring simplicity in the ways of the natives. Conrad conveys this theme to those who search for a quality that resides in all men, rather than seeking the errors of one group or person, which is what Achebe accused Conrad of doing as he portrayed the natives as “niggers” and “common savages.” The evils of society set in motion for what Conrad sought to banish from human thought. All men have the capacity to be evil or good, yet the one ideal that determines this state of being is the realization of what good and evil truly are.
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 - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conradanalytical essayOne reason racism is such a cruel example of man's inhumanity to man is that it is based on thinking of people as members of groups rather than as individuals. Conrad brings up this grouping of people leading to racism when he has Charlie Marlow say, "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different completion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, it is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much (Conrad 70). As Edward W. Said, author of Culture and Imperialism, explains, "Independence was for whites and Europeans; the lesser or subject peoples were to be ruled…"(Said 24). The mentality of the whites allowed them to feel as though they could dominate over the natives. This mentality led to abuse and destruction of the people they felt were worthless. A step in controlling a people by dehumanizing them is to simply treat them as if they are objects. In Heart of Darkness the natives are objects, and even more atrocious, trophies to the white man.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's heart of darkness presents us with a fictional account of these inhumane acts in africa.
- Explains that racism is based on thinking of people as members of groups rather than individuals. the mentality of the whites allowed them to feel like they could dominate over the natives.
- Narrates how they were surprised to see a knob of wood on the stakes. they returned deliberately to the first, which was black, dried, sunken, with closed eyelids, and shrunken dry lips.
- Analyzes how kurtz murdered these people to demonstrate his power over the whole group and then placed their heads on posts as a symbol of his supremacy.
- Opines that once the whites strip the natives of their humanity, it becomes easier to torture them and indiscriminately kill them.
- Analyzes how the african natives become completely powerless as human beings once they are given their role as animals. this dehumanization allows the europeans to be without accepting responsibility because they view themselves as superior.
- Analyzes how grouping and dehumanization, both direct outgrowths of racism, lead to cultures being destroyed. in heart of darkness conrad depicts the cannibals as frightening and intimidating.
- Describes the headman of the cannibals, a young, broad-chested black, draped in dark-blue fringed cloths with fierce nostrils and his hair all done up artfully in ringlets.
- Illustrates how the whites were feared by the natives and the europeans devastated african cultures because they felt the culture contained no worth.
- Explains that europeans with that carapace of arrogance and assurance, moral élan, and immense conviction of the rightness of their actions needed to fuel their dynamism.
- Analyzes how marlow patronizes the culture left behind in heart of darkness and hallet's book.
- Analyzes how late nineteenth-century observers saw africa as the most "barbarous" and "uncivilized" of the continents. these were imprecise and emotive epithets, which modern europeans applied to alien cultures.
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's heart of darkness illustrates the preponderance of european racism and its attended brutality in africa.
1018 wordsRead More - Realism And Racism In Conrad's Heart Of Darknessanalytical essayThings Fall Apart was written in response to Heart of Darkness in 1958, therefore, Things Fall Apart automatically has contrasting themes, symbols, and characters that are meant to oppose those set in Conrad’s novella. With the growing popularity of African literature, critics began to question the realism portrayed in each work. Viewing this situation through this lens raises questions about what would be a truthful depiction and what would be a biased depiction. Analyzing this situation through mimeticism and realism, is one way in which this could be observed. In Susan Andrade’s novel, A Forum on Fiction 42.2, she states:
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how conrad's novel heart of darkness reflects the modern ideology of his time.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe discredits the purpose of the white man's burden by depicting native africans in a more identifiable manner so that the reader can appreciate the african customs.
- Analyzes the situation through mimeticism and realism in susan andrade's novel, a forum on fiction 42.2.
- Analyzes how rudyard kipling's poem "the white man’s burden" highlights the american belief in manifest destiny, which allowed for the americans to help third world nations rise up to technological advances.
1268 wordsRead More - While many characters are critiqued or criticized by Conrad for their exploitation of Africa and it's inhabitants, they remain the dominant and superior race, both according to Conrad, and his primary narrator Charlie Marlow. The African characters are not only constructed as "other", but also as inferior and to an extent subhuman. This is evident through their lack of language or voice throughout the text. Africans are denied language, and are instead granted "grunting" noises and a "violent babble of mouth sounds" relegating them to an inferior status.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the novella heart of darkness has been criticized for its racist and sexist construction of cultural identity. the european male is constructed in opposition to "the other".
- Analyzes how conrad and his primary narrator, charlie marlow, critique african characters for their exploitation of africa and its inhabitants, but they remain the dominant and superior race.
- Analyzes how conrad constructs africans as inferior to europeans through his refusal to grant them the power of language and speech.
- Analyzes how conrad marginalizes and degrades african characters and race through the denial of language and human form.
- Analyzes how the patriarchal representation of women in heart of darkness confirms the superiority of the white male.
- Analyzes how marlow, and conrad, depict the madonna as living in a dream world. the aunt and the intended represent the other half of the polarization of women.
- Analyzes how conrad's "heart of darkness" is a product of its time and confirms the contextual notions of difference.
1050 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 - 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 - The Dispensable Nigger in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darknessanalytical essayThe Dispensable African in Heart of Darkness Three Works Cited The story is about a man named Marlow, who is hired by The Company, which is a shipping company located in England. Although Marlow had sailed before, he had never sailed to Africa. The people who operated The Company (those located in England) are so far removed from reality, that they have no concept of the devastation caused in order to ship vast loads of ivory. The Company is a perfect example of how these profit driven industries obtain their wealth – through the blatant disregard of the environment and their fellow man.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that conquering a people requires dehumanizing them and believing they are insignificant/inferior. this mode of thinking is used to justify atrocities committed by the conquerors.
- States that the company had no qualms regarding the mistreatment of the natives, as described by the following account.
- Opines that africans are perceived to be dispensable, not nearly as valuable as ivory they are relied upon to collect for the white man.
- Analyzes how profit driven industries obtain their wealth through the blatant disregard of the environment and their fellow man.
- Analyzes how conrad's character marlow describes the natives as having "wild vitality" and their "faces like grotesque masks."
587 wordsRead More - Criticism In Joseph Conrad's The Heart Of Darknessanalytical essayDuring the novella we see many quotes made by Marlow and others that relate to racism towards the native Africans. In the first section of the story we see some comments that relate
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how joseph conrad's "the heart of darkness" has many comments and terms that directly relate to people of color and women.
- Analyzes how marlow's quotes relate to racism towards the native africans. in the first section of the story, the men treat the slaves as wild animals that need to be trained.
- Analyzes how kurtz and marlow have different takes on the native africans.
- Analyzes how marlow and the other men viewed the natives as barbarians because of the way they dressed, behaved, and carried weapons.
- Analyzes how the heart of darkness portrays anti-feministic views, but at times some characters have different opinions on women.
- Analyzes how marlow believes women should be kept from the horrors of the world so they can keep their perfect vision.
- Opines that the views portrayed in joseph conrad's "the heart of darkness" are racists and anti-feminist, but not for when it was written.
1578 wordsRead More - Racism In Joseph Conrad's The Heart Of Darknessanalytical essayThroughout time, man has faced many difficulties that have put into question the morals of society and humanity. One case in particular is the differentiation and segregation of people based on race. Never has there been an instance in society where this has not come into question, whether it be Medieval Europe or Colonial America, racism has played a substantial role in shaping civilization. With this in mind, it comes to say that culture has too been greatly affected by this atrocity. Literature, movies, and songs have all through the years reflected the views of the time period, some even going as far to shape how people base their views in the future. One novel that has sparked not only controversy, but has been under constant questioning
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