Similarities Between Heart Of Darkness And Things Fall Apart
Analysis and comparison
A similarity of both book’s is the focus on colonialism in the early 1900s, as several European countries were settling in and setting up colonies in Africa. For “Things Fall Apart”, this is a major point of attention in the novel, and it includes prominently in “Heart of Darkness” also. Both novels demonstrate several of the effects that the white colonists upheld on the area, and shows the major influence they had on the natives. For example, in “Heart of Darkness” we are shown the influence and power of Kurtz upon the natives residing in the Inner Station, where they described him real close to a god. On the other stations, we also get to discover the natives being impacted by the white colonists, changing their ways …show more content…
Marlow criticizes imperialism but surprisingly not from the point of view of the colonized people; he cares extremely little about them. Instead, Marlow judges it because of the effect on the white man whose time had been spent in an uncivilized country. In his prospective, the white man is stolen from the so called “civilized” Europe to uncivilized countries, where he grows extremely violent due to the lawless environment around him. Throughout the novel one can get the idea that Conrad is not the most caring and loving person on the planet. Going back to the racist accusations on the book this quote makes it questionable. “Well if a lot of mysterious niggers armed with all kinds of 6 fearful weapons suddenly took to travelling /.../ I fancy every farm and cottage thereabouts would get empty very soon.” (Conrad 19). He chooses to use the word “nigger” numerous times in different parts and even though it’s not the author who narrates the novel, he is evidently a white author. If a white author writes the word “nigger” in his book, many can assume that he holds some anger aiming towards the black race. Could this be the main reason why Conrad refers to Africa as the heart of darkness?
In “Things Fall Apart”, we are shown Okonkwo's home village, where the white colonists settle in and set up a District Commissioner (D.C) which makes the natives bend to the laws he sets, they even go as far as aiding him to enforce them. This completely switches their way of life prior to his arrival demonstrating how Okonkwo played an effect on the community in “Things Fall
A similarity of both book’s is the focus on colonialism in the early 1900s, as several European countries were settling in and setting up colonies in Africa. For “Things Fall Apart”, this is a major point of attention in the novel, and it includes prominently in “Heart of Darkness” also. Both novels demonstrate several of the effects that the white colonists upheld on the area, and shows the major influence they had on the natives. For example, in “Heart of Darkness” we are shown the influence and power of Kurtz upon the natives residing in the Inner Station, where they described him real close to a god. On the other stations, we also get to discover the natives being impacted by the white colonists, changing their ways …show more content…
Marlow criticizes imperialism but surprisingly not from the point of view of the colonized people; he cares extremely little about them. Instead, Marlow judges it because of the effect on the white man whose time had been spent in an uncivilized country. In his prospective, the white man is stolen from the so called “civilized” Europe to uncivilized countries, where he grows extremely violent due to the lawless environment around him. Throughout the novel one can get the idea that Conrad is not the most caring and loving person on the planet. Going back to the racist accusations on the book this quote makes it questionable. “Well if a lot of mysterious niggers armed with all kinds of 6 fearful weapons suddenly took to travelling /.../ I fancy every farm and cottage thereabouts would get empty very soon.” (Conrad 19). He chooses to use the word “nigger” numerous times in different parts and even though it’s not the author who narrates the novel, he is evidently a white author. If a white author writes the word “nigger” in his book, many can assume that he holds some anger aiming towards the black race. Could this be the main reason why Conrad refers to Africa as the heart of darkness?
In “Things Fall Apart”, we are shown Okonkwo's home village, where the white colonists settle in and set up a District Commissioner (D.C) which makes the natives bend to the laws he sets, they even go as far as aiding him to enforce them. This completely switches their way of life prior to his arrival demonstrating how Okonkwo played an effect on the community in “Things Fall