Through the course of human history, greed has motivated individuals to commit horrible atrocities against their fellow man. It has caused political parties to overthrow their governments, religious leader to declare war, and tycoons to outsource jobs to countries that have virtually nonexistent human rights policies. In Joseph Conrad’s novel, The Heart of Darkness, Conrad cast a satirical depiction of the European view of the Belgian Congo and the events that actually occurred there, using the nature of oppression and cruelty, to bring to light the hypocrisy of Victorian Europe, and the idea that greed can destroy our humanity.
Conrad’s formidable use of bleak imagery in the text highlights the nature of brutality and barbarity by drawing …show more content…
Traditionally, she is blind or blindfolded, because justice should be entirely impartial (Kent 1-2). The statue also resembles the Statue of Liberty, due to her torch, which is a well- recognized symbol of freedom. However, the background and shadowing of the photo are immensely important to the symbolism of the photo: The background is black and oppressive, symbolizing the dark path of the Congo and the grisly torturing, maiming, and enslavement of the Congolese. The fact that the shadow casted on the woman is “sinister” reveals that what the woman values are less pure then they seem: She presents herself as a woman who is caring and compassionate, but once she is dragged into the light of truth, it is revealed that her kindness is nothing more than a mask she uses to hide her evil. Her greed for land, resources, and inexpensive human labor motivate her to enter the Congo, rather than her empathy for the “uncivilized” that desperately need to hear the Word of God. Ultimately, it represents the evils of imperialism. Likewise, as stated by Ishrat Jahan Prioti, author of the academic journal, Hypocrisy of Imperialism in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of
Conrad’s formidable use of bleak imagery in the text highlights the nature of brutality and barbarity by drawing …show more content…
Traditionally, she is blind or blindfolded, because justice should be entirely impartial (Kent 1-2). The statue also resembles the Statue of Liberty, due to her torch, which is a well- recognized symbol of freedom. However, the background and shadowing of the photo are immensely important to the symbolism of the photo: The background is black and oppressive, symbolizing the dark path of the Congo and the grisly torturing, maiming, and enslavement of the Congolese. The fact that the shadow casted on the woman is “sinister” reveals that what the woman values are less pure then they seem: She presents herself as a woman who is caring and compassionate, but once she is dragged into the light of truth, it is revealed that her kindness is nothing more than a mask she uses to hide her evil. Her greed for land, resources, and inexpensive human labor motivate her to enter the Congo, rather than her empathy for the “uncivilized” that desperately need to hear the Word of God. Ultimately, it represents the evils of imperialism. Likewise, as stated by Ishrat Jahan Prioti, author of the academic journal, Hypocrisy of Imperialism in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of