Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad analyzes the moral aspects of the ivory trade in the Congo and imperialism in general. The way such activities are carried out by colonial companies are shed in a negative light throughout the story. Although the exploitation of Africa by these powers is castigated, the reader is left to wonder whether Joseph Conrad perpetuates the stereotypes that are used to justify the imperialism. His condescending stance towards the natives cannot be ignored and although he condemns imperialism on the basis of its brutality, he ignores if not consents to it on the basis of racism.
Upon the main character’s, Marlow’s, arrival in the Congo, the trading scene is portrayed as something larger than life, yet in a disapproving manner. At the station, he noticed that the men “wandered in here and there with their absurd long staves in their hands, like a lot of faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence. The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was......
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Approximate Word Count: 657
Approximate Pages: 3 (260 words per double-spaced page) |