Belgian Congo

very long time. The novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad represents the time period of imperialism; when Belgium colonized the Congo. Conrad depicts the racism that occured in the Congo of Africa because of the Europeans colonization. The main protagonist named Marlow, a European sailor, goes on an adventure with his crew through his perspective going up the Congo River with the goal of meeting an idealistic man, Kurtz. Throughout this journey, Marlow says many things that can seem racist…

mother. She asks the reader to “imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened.” This directive leads myself as a reader to think that Orleanna is foreshadowing the climax of this novel. I’ve interpreted that something unbearable occured in the Congo that Orleanna cannot grasp reality from make-believe. As humans we train our brain to forget about terrible events as if they never happened like it was all a dream. The directive continues on as she asks the reader to “first, picture the…

known as the Congo. He able to bunco all the other countries, including the Americans by murdering nine million people and stole all the rubber in the Congo. King Leopold made over $1.1 billion dollars while pillaging in the Congo (The New York Times). King Leopold used this idea of religious toleration to cozen everyone. Their livelihood was a mere trifle to him. When citizens of other countries were absolutely horrified and scared of his gruesome orders that occurred in the congo because they…

factors that lead to the Rwanda genocide of 1994 started in 1916 when the Belgian colonist first arrived; by creating a since of Tutsis superiority the Belgian colonist created resentment within the Hutus community. This resentment would eventually build up within the Hutus people, leading to the Rwandan genocide.…

The United States became involved in the Vietnam War (1955-1975), one of the most devastating conflicts during the Cold War, in order to prevent Vietnam from succumbing to communism. As the war drew to an end, the majority of Americans began to view the war as a “mistake.” Although the government spent “more than a billion dollars a month” on the war effort, “no end to the war seemed in sight” (Lunch, Sperlich 22, 30). Many prominent Vietnam War films were released shortly after the war came to…

destruction which man creates. Heart of Darkness examines the evil and moral decay within the heart of every person. Throughout the novella, Heart of Darkness explores the notion of evilness and cruelty within a person’s heart. Upon arriving in the Congo, Marlow witnesses “countless [natives]” (Conrad 18) who are “chained” (21) and “beaten” (21) like animals. The white men view the natives as “worthless savages” (39), who should be used as “slaves” (23). The Europeans exemplify their…

“This is what I most admire about Father: no matter how bad things might get, he eventually will find the grace to compose himself. Some people find him overly stern and frightening, but that is only because he was gifted with such keen judgment and purity of heart. He has been singled out for a life of trail, as Jesus was. Being always the first to spot flaws and transgressions, it falls upon Father to deliver penance. Yet he is always ready to acknowledge the potential salvation that resides…

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…

commander of a Belgian-owned Congo River steamboat in 1890. After arriving in a town called Kinshasa, he found his command had been sunk, but he was given another steamboat and told to proceed. His order was to rescue Georges Antoine Klein, a valuable company agent who had become ill. The agent died on the return trip (“Joseph” 5). The events outlined from Conrad’s Congo trip make up the exact plot of Marlow’s journey in Heart of Darkness. To summarize, Marlow signs with a Belgian company as…

the reader is introduced to Marlow by one of the sailors’ point of view. Marlow is onboard The Nellie attempting to recount the details of his experience in the Congo to the sailors in order to prepare them for the challenges they might be face along their journey. Marlow begins telling the story of how he got the job with the Belgian company and his skepticism of the imperialistic mission to civilize Africa. Before he set off to Africa, he came across a doctor who was curious about his true…