Heart of Darkness

1. Some critics believe that in Heart of Darkness Conrad illustrates how ‘’the darkness of the landscape can lead to the darkness of the social corruption.” This statement means that if the environment is dark, then the people in that environment will match the surrounding feeling, which is dark and depressing. For example, if it is a gloomy rainy day, most people feel tired and not as happy. If it is a bright sunny day, the most people feel motivated to get things done and joyful. Yes, this statement is believable because I have noticed that the weather, my surroundings, and even other people’s behaviors around me affect my mood. Today, for instance, it rained all day and the sky was dark, as a result I slept throughout the whole day. So my environment changed my mood negatively. – “It made you feel very small, very lost, and yet it was not altogether depressing, that feeling.” When riding along the river.
2. Heart of Darkness seems to blur the line between the so-called “advanced” society of Europe and the “primitive” society of Africa. The native people of Africa are referred to as savages. The white people in the novel showed they had uncivilized characteristics like the natives. Since the white people felt superior, however, they treated the natives like slaves and objects. Europe seems to be more civilized in the eyes of the world because the people are more advanced in technology and knowledge, while Africa seems to be more uncivilized because the people are cannibals and not as advanced in technology, if at all. I believe these distinctions are valid, but I do not agree with the white society feeling superior to the natives. I also believe that the culture I live in is advanced and civilized because there have been so many advancements in science, technology, and weaponry, and we follow the guidelines of “all