racism heart of darkness essay
Austin March
English 12 Honors
Mrs. Freeze
9 September 2014
Racism within Heart of Darkness
What is racism? How can someone be classified as a racist? According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, racism is classified as the poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race, or the belief that some races of people are better than others. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has been considered a major turning point for authors and other works because his style of writing was different than most other pieces of literature in his time. Conrad’s use of ambiguity fascinated critics and readers as he used obscurity to dramatize Marlow’s perceptions of the horrors he encounters. Other critics say that Heart of Darkness broke many narrative conventions. Renowned Nigerian author and preeminent scholar on African culture, Chinua Achebe and English novelist, short story writer, essayist, and librettist E.M. Forster had different views on Conrad’s writing. Both men criticized Conrad as being racist and discriminatory for his use of words such as “nigger.” Conrad uses such words throughout the entire novella, even stating, “Strings of dusty niggers with splay feet arrived and departed” (26). To many critics of the novella, the implementation of such words should not have been introduced into this story. However, supporters of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness disagree with that statement and believe that it added emphasis and influence to his work. Such supporters included Edward Crankshaw, who stated that “Conrad provides us with very little critical guidance.” As Edward Crankshaw put it, Conrad “seems to have worked in a state of semi-blindness, calculating as the need arose, crossing his bridges as they came, living, so to speak, from hand to mouth.” So, which side is right, those who support Conrad or those who oppose him? The use of ambiguity in Conrad’s writing provides the reader the choice as to whether or not Conrad is a racist.
Taking into account
English 12 Honors
Mrs. Freeze
9 September 2014
Racism within Heart of Darkness
What is racism? How can someone be classified as a racist? According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, racism is classified as the poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race, or the belief that some races of people are better than others. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has been considered a major turning point for authors and other works because his style of writing was different than most other pieces of literature in his time. Conrad’s use of ambiguity fascinated critics and readers as he used obscurity to dramatize Marlow’s perceptions of the horrors he encounters. Other critics say that Heart of Darkness broke many narrative conventions. Renowned Nigerian author and preeminent scholar on African culture, Chinua Achebe and English novelist, short story writer, essayist, and librettist E.M. Forster had different views on Conrad’s writing. Both men criticized Conrad as being racist and discriminatory for his use of words such as “nigger.” Conrad uses such words throughout the entire novella, even stating, “Strings of dusty niggers with splay feet arrived and departed” (26). To many critics of the novella, the implementation of such words should not have been introduced into this story. However, supporters of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness disagree with that statement and believe that it added emphasis and influence to his work. Such supporters included Edward Crankshaw, who stated that “Conrad provides us with very little critical guidance.” As Edward Crankshaw put it, Conrad “seems to have worked in a state of semi-blindness, calculating as the need arose, crossing his bridges as they came, living, so to speak, from hand to mouth.” So, which side is right, those who support Conrad or those who oppose him? The use of ambiguity in Conrad’s writing provides the reader the choice as to whether or not Conrad is a racist.
Taking into account