There are numerous credible facts that clearly prove why “Heart of Darkness” should be taught in schools across America. Joseph Conrad had the sheer audacity to describe exactly what he saw in the congo with great detail and meaning. With Conrad’s experiences and morals, this novel establishes itself as a very noteworthy and informative piece of work.
This book should be taught in high schools, preferably upper level AP courses, with extremely careful reading and lengthy discussions. Nothing in this novel, including the stirring title, is clear-cut. The reader truly needs to dissect every last sentence to understand what in the world the author is saying. Conrad was a descriptive but racist (more acceptable in his time) artist that did his …show more content…
Chinua Achebe is a poet. He addresses the issue at hand and supports the logical claim that Conrad intended and succeeded in proving the distinct differences in the two societies. The information described from the introduction on the Thames River to the conclusion in Belgium was informative and argumentative. Sure, there is a bit of a distasteful subjectivity but the majority of the novel is devoted to morals and “eye-opening” graphics. For example, the portrayal of Kurtz is similar to the depiction of King Leopold. There is a major similarity between the two men; they were sent out to civilize the African people. Their main conundrum appeared when they not only colonized the native land, they killed, ordered and ruled …show more content…
However, sugar-coating these historical events will only lead to the single story ideology of misconceptions and prejudices. Objectivity is key here because this novel would do a terrible job in schools if there were many false recounts of the imperialist days. Incorrect accusations and biased reports would lead to a frenzy of opinion that would miss the overall point of the story. Although, if a student has learned something meaningful and noteworthy about the atrocities done to the Africans through “Heart of Darkness” or the general history of the congo, the novel has done its job. The lesson is perfect for school environments in that it warns about the seduction of sheer power, proves that there needs to be objectivity and first hand accounts and that there needs to order and justice in all
This book should be taught in high schools, preferably upper level AP courses, with extremely careful reading and lengthy discussions. Nothing in this novel, including the stirring title, is clear-cut. The reader truly needs to dissect every last sentence to understand what in the world the author is saying. Conrad was a descriptive but racist (more acceptable in his time) artist that did his …show more content…
Chinua Achebe is a poet. He addresses the issue at hand and supports the logical claim that Conrad intended and succeeded in proving the distinct differences in the two societies. The information described from the introduction on the Thames River to the conclusion in Belgium was informative and argumentative. Sure, there is a bit of a distasteful subjectivity but the majority of the novel is devoted to morals and “eye-opening” graphics. For example, the portrayal of Kurtz is similar to the depiction of King Leopold. There is a major similarity between the two men; they were sent out to civilize the African people. Their main conundrum appeared when they not only colonized the native land, they killed, ordered and ruled …show more content…
However, sugar-coating these historical events will only lead to the single story ideology of misconceptions and prejudices. Objectivity is key here because this novel would do a terrible job in schools if there were many false recounts of the imperialist days. Incorrect accusations and biased reports would lead to a frenzy of opinion that would miss the overall point of the story. Although, if a student has learned something meaningful and noteworthy about the atrocities done to the Africans through “Heart of Darkness” or the general history of the congo, the novel has done its job. The lesson is perfect for school environments in that it warns about the seduction of sheer power, proves that there needs to be objectivity and first hand accounts and that there needs to order and justice in all