...How is the abuse of power shown in two works that you have studied? The works I have studied and will be exploring in this essay are Mary Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ and Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’. In ‘Frankenstein’ the abuse of power is most clearly exhibited by the protagonist of the story Frankenstein himself, his abuse of power results in his isolation and could serve as a warning to people, telling them not to play with forces that they can not control. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Conrad abuses his power as the author to distance himself from the novella and in a sense absolve himself from any racist criticism the book may induce. The abuse of power is also a key theme in the novella itself. Firstly there is a sense of hypocrisy in the novella where the abuse of power is concerned, Marlow seems to have a slight reluctance to abuse his power over the natives, however he abuses his power before he even gets to the Congo, when he attains the job unfairly through the position held by his aunt in the company. Secondly the idea that the white western men have a superior culture and feel the need to impose their civility on the outrageous and almost in-human savages inhabiting the Congo is the most obvious abuse of power implicated in the short story. Overall the abuse of power in both novels is shown to end badly for the party involved. Marlow sees the abuse of power leave people without their minds, and Shelly’s novel also demonstrates this to some degree, but highlights...
Words: 1626 - Pages: 7
...Apocalypse Now-Heart of Darkness Apocalypse Now was set in Vietnam 1968. At this time the Vietnam War was controversial. The American antiwar movement was gaining power. John Milius wrote the original screenplay based on Conrad’s Heart of Darkness but updated it to take place during the Vietnam War. During both times there was a great undertaking of territory. The Congo was being acquired by European presence in Heart of Darkness. As Conrad’s experience took him into the Congo; he observed firsthand knowledge of the atrocities of European imperialism. He witnessed the enslavement of a society and the rich wealth of the ivory trade. In Apocalypse Now it was the American presence for South Vietnams independence that was at stake. America became involved in the conflict between North and South Vietnam because its policy makers feared the spread of communism. American young men were sent by the thousands every month to Vietnam. Thousands of innocent people lost their lives. The main theme of both Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now are based on a man that is known as a great military leader, and has a dossier full of accomplishments. Kurtz, which has been overtaken with darkness. His mind is not that of someone who is thinking straight. Kurtz in Heart of Darkness turns out to be emaciated and weak when Marlow first gets to see him and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now a strong figure with a sinister presence when encountered by Willard. In Apocalypse Now Kurtz is in Cambodia with...
Words: 637 - Pages: 3
...Darkness inside Human Mind Joseph Conrad, who wrote The Heart of Darkness, once said, “The mind of man is capable of anything.” What he is telling us was that a person will do any actions by any means regardless of its consequence. There is always an evil side living inside the human soul, and this evil side breaks out during times when there is a difference in culture; for example, during World War II, Nazis killed any Jews that appeared in Europe, and their reason was Jews were not considered Germans, and they were believed to be disloyal and untrustworthy. This shows the difference in culture that created darkness inside the mind of the Nazis, who told them to do unimaginable things. The madness, fear, imperialism, death, escape, and difference in culture are the main theme of Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now; although they were written in different times, settings, and purposes, they both express how savage the human mind can be when he confronts with darkness. Both the novel Heart of Darkness and the film Apocalypse Now address the idea of imperialism. Imperialism, defining as a country’s political, military, and economic domination over another, is the theme that talk thoroughly in both works. For instance, in Heart of Darkness, richer nations are robbing the goods in Africa, such as ivory and slaves, while in Apocalypse Now America is trying to subvert Vietnam from being Communism. A modern example that relate to the idea of imperialism is America showing assistant...
Words: 1490 - Pages: 6
...Good or Evil? The Fight For Dominance The fierce battle between the lightness and darkness of man’s heart has coexisted since the earliest of times. William Golding’s award-winning novel, Lord of the Flies, is one that captures this very judgment. A group of young British schoolboys who were once innocent and pure of heart are quickly devoured by the dark powers of destruction, savagery, and murder. However, even with these destructive powers at hand, the young schoolboys along with their distant memories of being in a civilized society, fight in an epic battle to try and prevent the full outbreak of evil. Golding illustrates the never-ending combat of “good” and “evil”, amidst the young schoolboys and the Beast; Ralph, the democratic leader, contrary to Jack, who favoured dictatorship; and the strength of civilization versus the forces of human nature. First and foremost, the story displays the constant conflicts between the innocence of the British schoolboys and the dark nature of what they come to know as the Beast. An example of this is when the twins Sam and Eric encounter the Beast in Chapter Six: "Beast From Air." In the beginning of the chapter, Sam and Eric, who were on duty to watch the fire, falls asleep as a dead parachutist falls from the war in the adult world and lands on the island. When they awake from their sleep, they noticed a “figure that hung with dangling limbs” (103) and mistake it as the Beast. Sam describes to Ralph that the Beast was ‘“furry”’...
Words: 1542 - Pages: 7
...Christopher James Heart of Darkness Quote Reflection Since I was not here on the day we wrote quotes in class I have chosen a quote to reflect on it. “The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse. By Jove! I’ve never seen anything so unreal in my life. And outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion.”(page72) This quote offers Marlow’s first impression of the Central Station. The word “ivory” seems to be something he hears all too often now that he works for this company. To them, it is far more than just the tusk of an elephant or rhinoceros; it represents an economic freedom that companies have never seen or experienced. These companies are running amuck doing as they please with no thought of how their actions affect the people or animals of Africa they simply only care about “Ivory” and its economic value. Marlow’s reference to a decaying corpse is both literal and figurative: elephants and the African people both die as a result of the European’s pursuit for ivory and the entire enterprise of the ivory trade is just rotten at the core. This is true in the cruelties and the greed that are both part of a greater evil of how money corrupts the soul of every human, instead...
Words: 539 - Pages: 3
...The Incandescent Darkness Within Africa Imperialism in Africa was a dark time to say the least. Many novels are set within this time period in history due to its polemic. Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness are both set in the era of imperialism; they are constantly read together in order to obtain two different perspectives on imperialism within Africa. Reading the novels one after the other is a practical way to understand the messages each author is trying to convey to their readers. They both complement and enhance each other. Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness are two novels from which lucid similarities and differences can be found through the sense of community, the depiction of the Africans, and the vitalness of language found within both. The sense of community is a very important aspect throughout both novels. When the white missionaries start to appear in Things Fall Apart, the Ibo people are confused and reluctant to change. In the village of Mbanta, the first white missionary and his followers start talking about their god and how the gods of the Ibo people cannot harm anyone; a lot of the people listening to these men considered them mad and some of them began to go away (Achebe 146). It is human nature to resist change and hold on to what a person is accustomed to and already knows. The Ibo people were no exception. On the other hand, in Heart of Darkness, the white imperialists felt united only through race. Marlow leaves the first station he goes...
Words: 1348 - Pages: 6
...The “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad, takes a look into imperialism through the eyes of its main character Marlow. Conrad used this story to condemn King Leopold II’s exploitation of the Congo and imperialistic views. Unlike capital rich imperialism, which seeks long term sustainment, King Leopold’s capital poor imperialism allowed for hasty exploitation of easily obtained resources through forced labor. The story takes a powerful look at the cruel and inefficient exploitation of natives by the “civilized societies”. This essay will discuss Conrad’s distain for imperialistic societies as seen in “Heart of Darkness”, and how these criticisms are relevant in contemporary societies. The story “Heart of Darkness” explores the issues and hypocrisy...
Words: 952 - Pages: 4
...Lord of the Flies Essay The darkness in man’s heart comes from having power. This really shows in the characters Jack and Rodger. For Ralph it was never about being in charge, but about getting home. To Jack having power was everything. Rodger hadn’t really cared about power at first, but took advantage of his power in the end. In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the boys on the island slowly lose their sense of rationality because of the power Ralph, Rodger, and Jack have. Power never really got to Ralph the way it got to Rodger and Jack. He began to lose sight of what was truly important to him, which was being rescued. “’We can help them find us…So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire’” (38). Ralph thinks the fire is the most important thing for the boys to keep going. He begins to forget about the fire, Piggy starts to finish Ralph’s sentences for him because he cannot remember the thing most important. “He tried to remember…At last Piggy spoke, kindly…’Cos the smokes a signal and we can’t be rescued if we don’t have smoke’” (173). Without Piggy, Ralph would have gone just as crazy as the others in the same amount of time. Rodger did not begin to get power until Jack set off on his own to make his own tribe. At first Rodger was nothing more than a bully. He seemed unlikely to lose his sense of reason. “Rodger led the way straight through the castles, kicking them over, burying the flowers, scattering the chosen stones” (60)...
Words: 667 - Pages: 3
...colonialism. Imperialism connects Walcotts poems, Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ and Friel’s ‘Translations’. All three texts contain binary opposites connoting culture, which is exactly what Walcott’s “The Gorilla wrestles with the superman” represents. The ‘gorilla’ represents the black native man; strong, natural and powerful which ‘wrestles’ with the superman, in this case British colonists. The image of the ‘gorilla’ representing the black man suggests a hint of racism - gorillas are primitive and often untameable. However the image of ‘superman’ is also not all-powerful, the idea of a superman is unrealistic. This image is a binary opposite, although these two representatives are both mighty in their own right, they possess very few similarities - natural versus supernatural. Walcott struggles with his own culture, his recurrent themes focus on dichotomy of Caribbean and Western civilisation. These seemingly opposing backgrounds cause a cross-cultural identity issue. Walcott’s split ethnicity connotes a ‘wrestle’ and struggle within himself. The effects of colonisation is a theme that can be explored within ‘Heart of Darkness’ and ‘Translations’. In both texts there is a ‘wrestle’ between the colonised and colonists despite containing opposite settings. Colonisation dehumanises the colonised and colonists themselves, to a varying extent, yet there is evidence of this in a three texts. In Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’, Kurtz the protagonist was notoriously known for his vicious...
Words: 745 - Pages: 3
...Although the novels The Poisonwood Bible, Heart of Darkness, and Things Fall Apart, written by Barbara Kingsolver, Joseph Conrad, and Chinua Achebe, respectively, have related themes, settings, and historical contexts, differing approaches to narration and description render each book highly distinct. It should be noted that some elements of setting are not shared, Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart take place during the early waves of colonialism, around the year 1900, while The Poisonwood Bible is set more than half a century later. Additionally, Things Fall Apart is set in what is now Nigeria, while both other novels occur in the Congo. However, these differences are insignificant compared to the effects of the vastly different attitudes of the narrators. Conrad’s Marlow presents a European perspective of Africa, which while...
Words: 623 - Pages: 3
...Heart of Darkness A Literary Gem or Trash ? Joseph Conrad an active explorer and a prestigious ,author during the late 1800s , wrote one of the most boring books in history , Heart of Darkness. The novel is reflected upon his exploration in the Congo , where he witnessed human corruption and greed. It is centered around the Imperial Era where the Europeans would do anything to attain more power, surpassing humane behavior , which resulted in their savage and vicious attitude: brutes. Heart of Darkness exhibits Conrad’s alter ego , beheld by darkness itself , human corruption , and discrimination . However , when reading it question yourself whether heart Of Darkness is a valuable worth your time! No. It is a piece of nonsense , that’s captivates our confusion rather than our interest , through the eyes of high school students. High school teachers may say “ it is a literary gem that delves deep into the heart of man, and makes the reader reflect on his/her personal values. While intended to highlight the politics of discrimination, this novella holds merit for high school students as well.” (Ms.Herzog).But is it morally right for teachers to assign such a difficult book considering our limited learning capacities? The book was designed for colleagues; incorporating abstract meanings, “rich symbolism”. and literary devices; things that our minds can not keep up with. As a high school student , I find the novel...
Words: 1125 - Pages: 5
...Heart of Darkness There are many themes that run through the novel Heart of Darkness. There are however two main and significant ones. These are the theme of restraint and man's journey into self. The importance of restraint is stressed throughout Heart of Darkness. In the novel Marlow is saved by restraint, while Kurtz is doomed by his lack of it. Marlow felt different about Africa before he went, because the colonization of the Congo had "an idea at the back of it." Despite an uneasiness, he assumed that restraint would operate there. He soon reaches the Company station and receives his first shock, everything there seems meaningless. He sees no evidence here of that "devotion to efficiency" that makes the idea work. In the middle of this, Marlow meets a "miracle". The chief accountant has the restraint that it takes to get the job done. He keeps up his appearance and his books are in "apple-pie order." Marlow respects this fellow because he has a backbone. "The cannibals some of those ignorant millions, are almost totally characterized by restraint." They outnumber the whites "thirty to five" and could easily fill their starving bellies. Marlow "would have as soon expected restraint from a hyena prowling amongst the corpses of a battlefield." The cannibal’s action is "one of those human secrets that baffle probability." This helps Marlow keep his restraint, for if the natives can possess this quality Marlow feels he certainly can. Kurtz is...
Words: 765 - Pages: 4
...Truly the darkness can shatter one’s hope, convincing them that there is no room for light in the darkness. Palmer contends that is not ever the case and uses his experiences to prove it. He heartens his audience who may be struggling with their own internal darkness, that there is always room for light as long as one has hope: “and then moves out with healing power into a world of may divides, drawing light out of darkness, community out of chaos, and life out of death” (Palmer 4). Palmer goes on to explain how connecting with others can be the source of the light one needs by discussing President Lincoln’s beliefs in connecting hearts. He states “Lincoln has much to teach us about embracing political tension in a way that opens our hearts...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...Heart of Darkness Imperialism has always had certain negative effects. Not only are the victims of imperialism exploited economically but they are often bound to experience racism. The natives are forced to abandon their political and spiritual views to learn the ways of the imperialists. In Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad describes the negative consequences affiliated with imperialism for not only the indigenous people, but also the imperialists themselves. In the beginning of the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad shows that the British believed their imperialism had a positive influence on the Congolese by introducing them to civilization and the British way of life. "Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch, messengers of the might within the land, bearers of a spark from the sacred fire. What greatness had not floated on the ebb of that river into the mystery of an unknown earth! … The dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empires." (pp. 2-3 ll. 29-2). This is an optimistic statement describing the British mentality. They assume that they are imperializing for helpful reasons when they are truthfully just attempting to obtain Congo's resources. Marlow undermines the good intentions of the explorers. In the quote, "Mind, none of us would feel [...] at the back of it; not a sentimental pretence but an idea; and an unselfish belief in the idea." (pp. 4-5 ll. 26-5), Marlow...
Words: 1111 - Pages: 5
...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx 20 October 2013 Disillusioned Desire In Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness one of the dominant themes involves notions of civilization. Through the eyes of those who knew him, Kurtz was an intelligent, civilized man but the river, the solitude and unchallenged power can change a person. As Charlie Marlow, the story’s protagonist and narrator, traveles farther down the river, his obsession with Kurtz and the heart of darkness take many forms. Marlow struggles with his intense feeling for the myth of Kurtz and what he really has become. Marlow becomes fascinated with Kurtz as he hears stories that make Kurtz out to be god-like. Marlow finds himself being drawn toward him upon hearing that Kurtz has turned on civilization for “the depths of the wilderness” (8). Kurtz has the opportunity to head back to civilization. His trading post has had no more supplies for months. He has no reason to stay. Kurtz, even as intelligent as he is, has fallen prey to the solitude of the jungle. Kurtz has powers in the jungle he could never have in a civilized land. Power is a hard thing to give up and Kurtz is lost in it. As they continue up the river, Marlow’s fascination with Kurtz has him imagining the kind of man Kurtz would be and the kinds of knowledge Kurtz would pass on to him. Marlow’s mood changes as he struggles with the idea that Kurtz might be dead and he will not be able to have a conversation with him. His character becomes...
Words: 589 - Pages: 3
