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Everyone has a heart of darkness. We all have the potential to be uncivilized and hurt each other, no matter whether we come from civilization or not. Prejudice and racism are powerful and present in our lives, whether we like it or not. Conrad is saying that if we do not realize this, we will continue the un civilization. Through Conrad's first person point of view, we are allowed to see one mans view of what will happen if we are not aware of our thoughts and actions.
Marlow's journey into the heart of Africa is also a journey into his own heart. Marlow starts out on his journey looking for adventure. His curiosity drives him to find Kurtz. Marlow soon finds that Kurtz, the supposed epitome of civilized, is actually barbaric, savage, and nothing more than the typical greedy colonial white male. Marlow soon realizes he has found something quite different than adventure. Marlow concludes that everyone has the potential for uncivilized behavior, but that no one can live with a heart of darkness.
Marlow is a serious man, and a very intuitive thinker, but is sarcastic, such as when he says, Cant say I saw any road or any upkeep, unless the body of a middle-aged Negro, with a bullet-hole in the forehead, upon which I absolutely stumbled three miles farther on, may be considered as a permanent improvement. (32). Marlow is partly making a joke, but really knows that the treatment of the natives is inhumane. He finds that the colonial purpose is not lining up with the result. Instead of the goal of improvement, the colonists have fallen into greed, which is ultimately their own hearts of darkness. Again, Conrad shows us how disgusted Marlow is when Marlow explains the conditions of the natives: It was unearthly, and the men were No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of itis suspicion of their not being inhuman.
It would come slowly to one. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity like yours the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. (59) Marlow is disgusted, truly appalled, but drawn in by the natives as he recognizes their common humanity, however remote. Marlow realizes their humanity, how they are just different, but not inhuman. He wanted so badly to say that the men were inhuman, but he caught himself. He explains that these people were civil just like him, but also observed the terrible way the colonists treated them. In that treatment he saw Black shapes crouched, lay, sat between the trees leaning against the trunks, clinging to the earth, half coming out, half effaced within the dim light, in all the attitudes of pain, abandonment, and despair. (26) Obviously, Marlow saw outcomes of tremendous pain and agony from viscous, cruel, and very demeaning treatment.
Only when Marlow saw the effects with his own eyes did the situation become a reality to him. Marlow saw the effects of uncivilized behavior in the Congo, and concludes we all have that potential, whether we come from civilization or not. Through Marlow, Conrad enables us to see the true side of the civilized colonial heart. Greed, prejudice and racism are powerful and hurtful feelings.
Conrad speaks a strong message that points us to look into our won hearts and evaluate if there is that darkness. As young people today, we are often stereotyped to be the most self-centered beings on the face of the earth, but, in reality, everyone has that tendency. So we need to have awareness of our flaws, and to therefore make changes in our behavior. Maybe we can learn from Conrad.
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Research essay sample on Racism Are Powerful Prejudice And Racism Are Powerful Marlow
