Essay Comparing Heart Of Darkness And Benito Cereno By Herman Melville

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Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Benito Cereno by Herman Melville tactfully conceal a racist and simplistic portrayal of Africa and its people through the mask of fiction. The novellas use fiction to dissuade the reader from understanding that the authors are indirectly equating Africa to anarchy and barbarism. The setting, dialogue and motifs within their stories make the extremely biased portrayal of Africa evident. Joseph Conrad and Herman Melville are often hotly debated in the subject of possible racism but their stories present Africa as a savage and uncivilized nether region of the world. In Benito Cereno, there is a character in particular that is a central figure in the racist and one-sided portrayal of Africa within Benito …show more content…

The narrative tries to suggest — by equating Negroes with "Newfoundland dogs"— that Captain Amasa Delano has exceptionally good opinion of blacks. This is true but the narrative has just implied that Negroes are equivalent to dogs. The narrative is getting at the idea like Negroes are and can be man’s best friend. To be specific, a Negro can be the white man’s best friend, which echoes a similar saying about dogs. Captain Delano might think that he is complimenting an entire race but he has just insulted them. The entire Negro race has been dehumanized in one sentence by equating them to domestic house pets. This comparison is still better than another comparison made in Benito Cereno about Negro women and their relationship with their children. “…, delightedly she caught the child up, with maternal transports, covering it with kisses. There’s naked nature, now; pure tenderness and love, thought Captain Delano, well pleased (Melville, 62-63).” Firstly, it appears that Captain Delano thinks he must be at a zoo. It seems that he is enamored by the view of a ‘species’ in its natural habitat. This is reinforced by further thoughts from Captain Delano, “Ah! thought Captain Delano, these perhaps are some of the very women …show more content…

When referring to Negroes outside of the dialogue in the novella, it refers to them in an objectifying way. It is reminiscent of the way Donald Sterling has referred to minorities under his employment. Several times in the narrative of the novella, Africans are referred to as objects, in a similar manner by which a table or a chair would be referred to. For instance, when Atufal the gigantic black slave appears in chains, Captain Delano describes him as “…the moving figure of a gigantic black…(Melville, 51)”. Also when talking about Atufal’s silence, “The black was silent (Melville, 51).” This type of diction cannot be overlooked just because the writer is Herman Melville. If Donald Sterling is being condemned for saying “In your lousy f***ing Instagrams, you don't have to have yourself with -- walking with black people.” to his girlfriend then Herman Melville should be condemned too. Donald Sterling is a man of great wealth and influence but was quickly condemned for what he said about the Negro race. Why is that Herman Melville’s racist writing is not under the same

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