Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Heart Of Darkness Essay - 1426 Words

Joseph Conrads novel Heart of Darkness uses character development and character analysis to really tell the story of European colonization. Within Conrads 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. Chinua Achebe, a well known writer, once gave a lecture at the University of Massachusetts about Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness, entitled An image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness. Throughout his essay, Achebe notes how Conrad used Africa as a background only, and how he set Africa up as a foil to Europe, (Achebe, p.251) while he also projects the image of Africa as the ‘other†¦show more content†¦Saravan said that Conrad perceived that native woman as a gorgeous, proud, superb, magnificent, terrific, [and] fierce person whose human feelings [were] not denied (Saravan, p.284). In comparing the two views, one must step back and consider that both views are only interpretations on what Conrad may have intended. Since no one can ever really know what his actual meanings were for these two women being so similar (in their movements), and yet so different (in their character), only individual explanation can be brought up. This in particular, is what bring s me to question both Achebe and Saravans points. By reorganizing Conrads descriptive words, Saravan was able to propose that Conrad did not intend for the mistress to be perceived as the savage counterpart (Achebe, p.255). Yet, at the same time, both Saravan and Achebe each write about what they think to be the right thing. It seems to me that Achebe was looking for racism in this short novel, and that Saravan was so taken back by Achebes accusations, the he himself, went and looked for ways to defend Conrad. However, this particular shortcoming of the native woman, is not the only one that Achebe finds. 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