Essay - Literature the Heart of Darkness the Purpose of This Paper...

Literature

The Heart of Darkness

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the novel "The Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Specifically it will identify one possible theme in the novel, and expla***** how the author nurtures and presents this theme in the text. *****'s ***** is a scathing critique on European imperial*****m in Africa, and the evils of this corrupt and abusive practice.

The entire ***** of ***** dark and famous novel is the wickedness of European imperialism and ***** subjugati***** of the natives by the Europeans. This *****me shows up from the very beginning of the novel, even before Marlow leaves for Africa. Conrad writes, "They [the early Belgians who took over] were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force - nothing to boast *****, when you have it, since *****r strength is just an accident ar*****ing form the weakness of others" (Conrad 4). The exploited the ***** ***** *****ir weaknesses, while they made enormous amounts ***** money harvesting natural resources, like ivory and rubber. ***** ***** did not care about the people, the land, or the lives *****y were changing forever. They used the natives as slaves, and when *****y died ***** maltreatment, they simply found new workers. Conrad continues, "***** were dying slowly *****- it w***** very clear. They ***** not enemies, they were ***** criminals, ***** were nothing earthly now -- ***** but black shadows of disease ***** starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom" (Conrad 14). The actual "heart of darkness" is the Belgians themselves and the darkness and evil they bring ***** the jungle, and what they take away from the natives - the very heart of their lives and culture.

***** shows what the natives are losing throughout the novel, as well, and attributes that loss directly to the ***** of the Belgians. He writes, "On some quiet night the tremor of far-off drums, sinking, swelling, a ***** v*****t faint; a sound weird, *****ppealing, suggestive, and wild -- and perhaps with as profound a meaning as the sound of bells in a Christian country" (Conrad 17). His purpose in writ*****g this novel is to show Europeans just what was happening in ***** ***** ***** name of commerce and capitalism, and make them more aware of the inequities ***** the system. Critic Benita Parry ***** on ***** theme of imperialism in the book and how "***** book's c*****crete references to the social locations and functions of protagonists converging as a criticism '***** the material structures of imperial capitalism*****" (***** 42), continue ***** theme throughout the novel. To drive his point home, critic Parry *****, "I am suggesting ***** what he wrote was a powerful critique of ***** as his*****rical undertaking and ethos" (Parry 46). Indeed, t***** book has become a cl*****ssic, and a classic look at imperialism's affect on s*****ellite colonies like the Congo. The practice ***** imperialism took place all over the world, ***** many different European countries participating, so it ***** not just Belgium that was