The Downfall Of Civilization s Heart Of Darkness

The Downfall of Civilization Within the early 20th century, Western and European nations have already established civilization and industrialized; however, many of which do not act nor represent civil behavior. Aime Cesaire criticized the barbaric nature of European civilization in â€Å"Discourse of Colonialism.† John Reed unveils the first-hand accounts of Europe and questions its civility in World War I. In â€Å"Heart of Darkness,† Joseph Conrad illustrates a voyage from the view point of Marlow, who questions the civility of Europeans and indigenous Africans. With civilization in mind, these authors are able to break down the idea of civilization and show how the theme of barbarism and uncivility are present in â€Å"superior nations.† In â€Å"Discourse of Colonialism,† Cesaire critiques European civilization and how it is ironic to say that they represent as superior nations. Cesaire proclaims that â€Å"before [Europeans] were its victims, they were its accomplices; that they tolerated that Nazism before it was inflicted on them, that they absolved it, shut their eyes to it, legitimized it, because until, then, it had been applied only to non-European people† (36). Seeing Germany as a redeveloping nation after its lost in World War I, European nations did not view it as a threat. They turned a blind eye to Germany and their actions. â€Å"How strange! But never mind—it’s Nazism, it will pass!† (36). European nations even appeased Hitler by allowing him to gain more land. However, when HitlerShow MoreRelatedThe Journey In â€Å"Heart Of Darkness† Spans Not Only The Capricious1222 Words   |  5 PagesThe journey in â€Å"Heart of Darkness† spans not only the capricious waters extending our physical world, but also the perplexing ocean which exists in the heart of man. Through Marlow s somewhat overenthusiastic eyes, we perceive the mystery that is humanity, and the blurred line between darkness and light. It is a n expedition into the deepest crevices of the human heart and mind bringing on an awareness, and finally descending into the abyss of hell abiding in each of us. Conrad’s use of wordplayRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1088 Words   |  5 PagesLord of the Flies: Each character in the novel Lord of the Flies represents a part of the psyche according to Freud. The power struggle between the characters displays the need for civilization to control the instinctual nature of Freud s theory. In the novel, Jack and his tribe of hunters represent the ID of the psyche. The ID refers to the part of the mind that deals with uncoordinated, instinctual needs. Meaning, Jack and his tribe adhere to solely their primal desires. This can be seen asRead MoreThe Central Station Essay2225 Words   |  9 Pagesoccurred throughout Leopold s Congo and what after 1902 would happen in the Kasai valley region as well. Precious goods are being taken out of the region without any coming into redeem what had been taken out in that station. Conrad marked Kurtz downfall by having him fail to uphold the principle of fair trade that denned imperialism legitimate commercial aims. The poor chap was not only duped in believing that Europeans were honestly intent on bringing light and civilization to darkest Africa by meansRead MoreKurtz s Station, The Outpost2228 Words   |  9 PagesKurtz s station, the outpost in the story is also running out of supplies and for the same reason, because one of th e company s steamers had been wrecked. While its narrator remained devoted to Kurtz, that particular Englishman does not believe meeting him was worth life of his African helmsman of whom Marlow says what he never said of Kurtz, that he shared a distant kinship with the man. Those words are most significant, coming as they did at a time when Africans were thought to be kin to monkeysRead MoreThe Time Machine : A Social Critique1870 Words   |  8 Pagesserves as a warning to upper class society into its eventual downfall . Symbolic Analysis Light, Darkness, and Fire In The Time Machine, darkness is directly associated with the evil Morlocks (as they can only see in the dark), and light is associated with the benevolent Eloi, who live in the sunlight. However, as this is a novel that concerns itself with muddying easy binaries and respecting complexity, the distinction between darkness and light, or what is good and what is bad, unravels over theRead MoreThe Russian Revolution Of Russia3311 Words   |  14 Pagesfrailty? 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Feeling sympathetic about life is like being sucker punch. â€Å"One practicable aimRead MoreExplore The Significance Of Fear In The Novel Lord Of The1798 Words   |  8 Pagesby William Golding. It was published in 1954. Golding based this novel on two personal experiences one of which was his time teaching at boys public schools and the second his experiences in World War II. One of the main themes in William Golding s novel, the Lord of the Flies, is Fear. From the first chapter, to the last, fear plays an important role in the text. The active role of fear in the text is the only thing, which stops the boys from acting rationally at times and from questioning strangeRead MoreThe Study of Satan: Demonology3669 Words   |  15 PagesIn Jude 1:6 also told about the angels who left heaven and plunged into darkness . Regarding the fall of the angels , the Bible does not give instructions , may occur between verses of Genesis 1:1-2 , but it is not clearly stated . Clearly, the existence of Satan has been depicted in Genesis chapter 3 when he began to tempt Adam and Eve . There are commentators who mentioned that his downfall was described as the downfall of the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:12-19 ( compare with Heilel ben ShakarRead MoreDescriptive Writing : New Vocabulary2398 Words   |  10 Pagesof creeper that lay across the trail† (47). Vicissitudes (noun): a change or variation occurring in the course of something (dictionary.com) Jack stood there, streaming with sweat, streaked with brown earth, stained by all the vicissitudes of a day s hunting (48). Tacit (adjective): expressed or understood without being directly stated (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary) â€Å"Jack nodded, as much for the sake of agreeing as anything, and by tacit consent they left the shelter and went toward the bathing