Marlows Racism in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Da

Marlows Racism in Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness is an intriguing story as well as a symbol for Joseph Conrads social commentary on imperialism. Marlows journey takes him deep into the African Congo where he bears witness to a descend of life-altering revelations. He beholds his most striking revelation when he begins to compare the civilized European man with the savage African man. These deuce opposing forces represent the two conflicting viewpoints present in every dilemma, be it cultural, social, or otherwise. As a modern European man who believes religiously in imperialism, Marlow is inherently arrogant. Yet, although he cannot accept the African jungle as being equally important as imperialism, his experiences there lead him to believe otherwise. Essentially, this is Marlows inner conflict. Everything he has believed in his complete life seems to crumble around him. His view of the civilized white man becomes tainted when he sees that society is merely a form of delus ion, denying its members the greater true statement of the world. The superficial boundaries of society have no meaning in the jungle, and Marlow has trouble dealing with this revelation(Bancroft 37). Marlows inability to accept this initially prevents him from eliminating his intellectual arrogance and feelings of virtuous superiority over the savages. For the most part, Marlow is unaware of his prejudicial attitude, but he eventually comes to realize the whole truth of the world. Marlow says that the colonizer who goes to Africa must meet the jungle with hi... ...Guerard, Albert J. (1979) Conrad the Novelist. Cambridge, Massachusetts Harvard University Press. Hawthorn, Jeremy (1990) Joseph Conrad Narrative Technique and Ideological Commitment. capital of the United Kingdom & New York Routledge. Henricksen, Bruce (1992) Nomadic Voices Conrad and the Subject of Narrative. Urbana & Chicago University of Illinois Press. Hubbard, Francis A. 1984 (1978) Theories of Action in Conr ad. Ann Arbor, Michigan UMI Research P. Junter, Allan (1983) Joseph Conrad and the Ethics of Darwinism. London & Camberra Croom Helm. Singh, Frances B. Conrad and Racism Oliver & Boyd. 1968 Scheick, William J. (1994) The Ethos of Romance at the Turn of the Century. Austin Univ.Texas Press. Watts, Cedric. A Preface to Conrad. Essex Longman Group UK Limited, 1993.