The “Heart of Darkness”, the narrator states how the purpose of their mission is based off of spreading civilization to these less developed areas such as the Congo by practicing a sense of colonization towards the natives as well as the land. The narrator explains how civilization has changed over time from the era of the Roman empire to the ideas of civilization of today or for in this instance, the Belgians colonizing the Congo. The narrator also explains how handy the Romans must have been, building ships and setting up shops but then states, “ They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force— nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others”(Conrad, 8). to differentiate the Belgians in the Congo to the Romans.
For Marlow, the narrator hints that the idea of civilization today means people trying to gain high end positions that pay the most. This means that it is no longer about conquering but rather earning wages. in the novel, the Belgians are at the Congo in search of ivory, a hard material which they would use as profit. Almost everyone despised Kurtz because he held the highest position. This is what earns the manager’s distrust as he feels Kurtz in unfit to play his role in the Congo. He would be happy when Kurtz dies in the novel.
In the novel, the colonist focus less on spreading civilization to the natives as much as their sole purpose for being there, which is hunting for ivory. Kurtz takes advantage of his power and his dominant arms to trick the natives into think he is their god. To exert his dominance, he showcases the heads of natives on stakes right under his window.
“Heart of Darkness” showcases the different aspects of civilization and how it has changed over time from its general ideas to the overall goal of it.
2/16/16
Jasper Gong
I feel that civilization is losing its own definition to fit with the Europeans own plans and goals. As the Europeans believe that civilization is forcing their believes on to them and getting all the ivory. But in my opinion, they don't portray it as a negative thing but a positive one.
ReplyDeleteI agree with leo. As we move throughout the book we begin to realize that civilization is complex no matter which form it takes.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I believe the idea of civilization is seen as an advancement in society, and not what we can see the natives have. When in reality, a society is a group of people living together to survive, and I feel as if this book has a hazy meaning of what a true society is.
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