Conrad Anker

Marlow first utters this quote upon arriving in Central Station for the first time and offers his general feelings about his surroundings. He sees first hand, the immense wealth that the ivory trade brings into the Station that makes his aunt and inversely him, their money. But he also sees the workers for the Company, whom Marlow sees essentially just as slaves and even compares them to “faithless pilgrims. He sees that if they are pilgrims, to some sort of religion, then it is the ivory trade.…

Often people are blinded by their lust for power and wealth. Joseph Conrad, in the novella “Heart of Darkness”, explores greed through character, imperialism and symbolism to show the corrupting power of greed. The novella follows Marlow’s character as he embarks on his journey within the Congo. Marlow encounters Kurtz’s public persona, which Marlow is intrigued by. This persona for the reader, and Marlow, is tarnished by the obvious craving for wealth and power. It is emphasised by Kurtz’s…

There are many parallels that I noticed between Benito Cereno and Heart of Darkness. One of the main things that I noticed was that they both have a lethargic feel to them. Heart of Darkness starts off with a couple people on a calm body of water. In the same way, Benito Cereno begins with a ship that is floating on a body of water that has swells, but is very smooth. I think that this imagery has an inherent “sleepy” feeling to it. It makes the book hard to read for me and maybe there is…

Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” in the Winter 2005 edition of College Literature. He has focused his studies on the subject of religion, atheism, and politics — all of which he uses within this article as a method to deconstruct the novella by Joseph Conrad. His various publications have further supported his authority on these subjects and gives him the ethos to create the controversial argument contained within this article. The main purpose within the article is to deconstruct the presence or…

It is possible that Conrad was trying to critique Marlow’s attitude towards women with the sexism, as he did with his lack of development. Conrad expects the readers to conclude that Marlow is an unreliable narrator, and perhaps he expected the readers to come to the conclusion that Marlow is sexist as well, but that is not likely.…

In The Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad depicts and partially denounces European imperialism in the Congo region of Africa. The Company, an ominously named Belgian ivory trading firm, inflicts a variety of racist cruelties upon native peoples in the area. The mistreatment and slavery are driven by prejudice and xenophobia but are carefully concealed under a guise of aid, with deceptive claims that their presence and practices are helping to civilize the savages. In truth they are the result of…

In the novella, The Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, Marlow recounts his tale of his adventures into the deepest part of the African continent. As a citizen of London, Marlow views Africa as a dark place as it differs from Europe physically and socially. Throughout Marlow’s tale in search of Mr. Kurtz, the author exemplifies the differences between a civilized society that is Europe and the savagery in the deepest parts of Africa. The continents of Europe and Africa are complete opposites.…

when Conrad introduces Marlow to a worker in charge of making sure the boiler doesn’t run out of water. He states "to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat, walking on his hind-legs" (Conrad 42). This man illustrates the possibility that the savages might be tamable because, "He ought to have been clapping his hands and stamping his feet In February 1977, Chinua Achebe claimed that Joseph Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness was proof that Conrad was…

Summary- Zora Neale Hurston’s Barracoon is a truly unique and important story, hidden from public view for more than 70 years, and seeing the light of day only now. Barracoon tells the story of Kossula (Cudjo Lewis), a passenger on the last slave ship to sail to these shores, The Clotilde. The book tells his story, from birth to the moment of his interview, but mainly focuses on the parts of his life as a free man. Kossula was born in modern-day Benin, from the Yoruba tribe. His early life in…

only be described as “savage,” shown by his choices in decoration: "Curious, this feeling that came over me that such details would be more intolerable than those heads drying on the stakes under Mr. Kurtz's windows…that was only a savage sight…" (Conrad). He has abandoned the powers of the superego that regulate his behavior and given into the savage within. Kurtz has given into id, a mind that is in a lustful and irresistible state, tempting human nature. While in the heart of darkness, Kurtz…