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Kayla Fainer Mr. Lemole AP English Language and Composition 7 October 2011 The Good and Bad Criticisms of Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness is being read in universities and schools across the United States as well as the world by students of many ages. Some people have overlooked aspects of the novel that have proven to be important to the story or Conrad himself. Kevin Attell, Chinua Achebe, and Walter F. Wright have written essays that distinguish the good and bad of the novel and Joseph Conrad. Attell focuses on the way that colonialism and philosophy go hand in hand, showing the techniques that Conrad uses in order to show the connection between the two. Achebe focuses on the supposedly thoroughgoing racism that Conrad portrays through the story despite his attempt to hide behind two narrators. Wright delves into the interpretation of Kurtz and Marlows relationship and also the nature within the way the story is written. All three critiques take a different standpoint in sync or in opposition to Heart of Darkness. Attell vividly shows us the two perspectives readers have taken towards the novels interpretation. The two most common ways of looking at the novel are by Conrads presentation of colonialism and also by posing philosophical questions in the book itself. Attells take on the two are that they are connected and inseparable throughout the book. In other words, one is never seen without the other. The colonialism perspective that is shown throughout Conrads Heart of Darkness is shown in a very straightforward manner. While Marlow is sitting in the waiting

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room of the Companys office in Belgium, he notices a map of Africa that shows the separate areas being colonized by the numerous countries in Europe. Each color whether it be red, blue, purple, orange, or another color, represents a certain country. Yellow represents Belgium which is the company that Marlow belongs to. The view of the map, though, is in the bias of a European peasant. In this point of view, colonialism is as simple and easy as the map appears to be, while in reality colonialism is only the trigger of violence and nations cultures clashing. Attell also proposes the Modernism Conrad shows in his work, questioning the nature of the language and trying to explain how it works. For example, Marlow is found at a loss for words when he is trying to portray his feelings within the story. The way that the language and words couldnt show Marlows feelings gives hints representing Modernism. Attell is trying to say that the two are nearly identical, and he claims the two perspectives to be two sides of the same coin. (105) Chinua Achebe writes, Joseph Conrad was a thoroughgoing racist. (343) Achebe believes strongly that this written piece should not be studied in schools around the world because it shows such an alarming amount of racism which student readers are failing to acknowledge. Conrad sets the opinion of countries up into two separate ideas. Africa seems to be the problem, being uncivilized and dangerous. Europe, on the other hand, is the civilized and perfect nation. Conrad also shows this contrast in the difference between the Thames and Congo Rivers, yet he shows that the two have a shared kinship in the past in which they both were dark places. (338) Supposedly Conrad also had a slight obsession with everything being in its place. If something or someone was out of place, it was wrong to him. He dehumanizes the Africans if they are out of place, using descriptions such as grumbling and overuses of the word black. He was careful with words, but Achebe points out that he did, indeed, slip up numerous

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times. Achebe emphasizes that the reason people are not seeing this racism is because they are used to it. Its the usual thought process to see Africans as something lower. A major point that Achebe puts forward is the fact that Africa is seen as a backdrop or props without showing any humanity in existence. Psychoanalysts, such as Dr. Meyers whom Achebe mentions in the essay, are also oblivious to the racism, perhaps thinking it is normal, too. (345) Conrads stories arent accurate, and Achebe sees that this is true in studies made by psychoanalysts. As a native himself, Achebe is merely trying to show that Africa is filled with people. The people within Africa are neither angelic nor demonic, meaning they are just normal people. Hes trying to help people see that they are no different than us. In fact, they are equal. Wright has a neutral take on Heart of Darkness. Instead of opposing it, he tries to interpret it directly. He goes into detail about the story itself, with Kurtz and Marlows interconnectedness. Its almost as if they feed off each other when Marlow uses Kurtzs instincts to see what was safe or dangerous. Kurtz, though, has no clue that Marlow understands when he says his last words. Yet, Conrad shows that Marlow acknowledges these words as the deepest part of his mind. If this was the deepest part of the darkness, Wright asks why the book doesnt end here. Two possible reasons that Wright brings up are: (1) the need for relief of the drama or, (2) the interpretation of life itself. Life never ends right away, or does it? The reverse between Marlows return to Europe and Kurtzs death was thought to be senseless by Wright because in Brussels, Kurtz is being talked about like he was still alive. Marlow has weakness, despite what the rest of the book might show. Wright points out clearly that when Marlow tells the Intended that Kurtzs last words are her name, he is sparing her the darkness of the truth. The whole interpretation of the book in Wrights point of view is that the entire world is a darkness with an unbearable heart. Yet, the entire point of the book is to show that what happened in Africa

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mightve been a darkness, though the mind of man and man itself seems to be a much more dangerous and evil thing. All three of these criticisms seem to be for different reasons made by different people that come from different places. Some are negative such as Achebes attempt to prove Conrad to be a racist man. Others are somewhat positive, such as Kevin Attell trying to represent Conrads Modernism as something influentially good. And of course, others can seem neutral, with an example of Walter F. Wright, whom debates the interpretations within the novel itself, including the heart of darkness meaning. Is Conrad racist, or is it only his narrator? Is his Modernism a true technique or is it really a flat out flaw? Is mans mind really the heart of darkness? Each perspective is contradictive to the other.

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Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness. A Norton Critical Edition. 4. Ed. Paul B. Armstrong. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. 336-349. Print. Attell, Kevin. Novels for Students. 2. Ed. Diane Telgen. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 102-105. Print. Wright, Walter F. Novels for Students.2. Ed. Diane Telgen. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 110-111. Print.