Heart Of Darkness Research Paper

Experiences and surroundings are what shapes our character. Often these interactions are positive. For example, experiencing a tragedy often builds empathy or living in poverty encourages determination. The opposite can also occur where a person who grows up in immense wealth is prideful and arrogant. Sometimes life is not so concrete, often times change causes a conflict between who someone actually is and who they perceive themselves to be. Changes in life such as shifts in surroundings, society, and the world as a whole cause people to struggle with their identity. Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness follows what happens when two englishmen, Mr. Kurtz and Marlow, who were raised in civilized England goes into the Congo, an unfamiliar savage territory. Mr. Kurtz had a high reputation in London. He was well known for running a successful operation in the Congo, which everyone at home saw as the perfect way to spread Christianity to the natives. Kurtz wrote the report for The International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs “with elegance” but this was all before “his nerves went wrong” (Conrad 45). What people did not know about Mr …show more content…
While Heart of Darkness was about the european imperialism in Africa, Cullen's poem “Heritage” describes the after effect of colonization. Cullen talks about his struggle between his identity as an African American during the Harlem renaissance and his feelings about traditional Africa. He does not know how to feel about himself because while he is of African descent he is so far removed from the continent. One example in his poem that he uses is he looks at his Christian religion that he grew up with “Wishing He I served were black” so that he could combine his feelings about both groups (Cullen). He doesn't want to completely drop who he is as an American but he longs to be part of a world that isn't