Heart of Darkness Futility of European Presence in Africa

Heart of Darkness: Futility of European Presence in Africa Joseph Conrad s Heart of Darkness is both a dramatic tale of an arduous trek into the Belgian Congo at the turn of the twentieth century and a symbolic journey into the deepest recesses of human nature. On a literal level, through Marlow s narration, Conrad provides a searing indictment of European colonial exploitation inflicted upon African natives. By employing several allegoric symbols this account depicts the futility of the European presence in Africa. One of the first glimpses into the frivolous occupation of Africa by the Europeans is seen when Marlow recounts his journey to Africa aboard a French steamer. The immensity of Africa is describe as The edge of a colossal†¦show more content†¦The sheer guise of philanthropical charity scarcely conceals the colonist’s true objective, the hunt for ivory. The colonists attempt to extinguish any and all forms of African culture in their wild quest for ivory. One night while at the camp, Marlow witnesses a fire engulf a shed housing trading goods. â€Å"One evening a grass shed full of calico, cotton prints, beads, and I don’t know what else, burst into a blaze so suddenly that you would have thought the earth had opened to let an avenging fire consume all that trash.† In a somewhat symbolic retaliation, the African culture seizes its revenge on the imposing imperialist culture. As the flames ravish the shed, Marlow watches as a man attempts to put out the fir e â€Å"†¦[he] dipped about a quart of water and tore back again. I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail.† This hopeless effort signifies the futile efforts to suppress the overbearing strength of the African culture. As Marlow ventures deeper down the river, the â€Å"pilgrims† aboard his boat undergo a battle with the African wilderness. In fear of attack by the natives, the Europeans begin to blindly fire shots into the darkness. â€Å"The pilgrims had opened with their Winchesters, and were simply squirting lead into the bush.† Once again, Marlow uses words like â€Å"squirt† to exemplify the uselessness of firing into the jungle. This depiction is yet another representation of the little effect EuropeanShow MoreRelated Degeneration of Kurtz, Colonialism, and Imperialism in Heart of Darkness1025 Words   |  5 Pagesand Colonialism in Heart of Darkness       Kurtz was a personal embodiment, a dramatization, of all that Conrad felt of futility, degradation, and horror in what the Europeans in the Congo called progress, which meant the exploitation of the natives by every variety of cruelty and treachery known to greedy man. Kurtz was to Marlow, penetrating this country, a name, constantly recurring in peoples talk, for cleverness and enterprise. Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is a portrait of theRead MorePoor Assumptions and Flawed Conclusions of Conrads Heart of Darkness2481 Words   |  10 Pages     Ã‚   During the period when Joseph Conrads novel Heart of Darkness was written, a common theme in literature was the testing of the moral life through actual experience.   One could not realize an ethical principle without it being justified through the outcome of some practical conflict.   This idea of testing morality through experience is exactly what is presented in Conrads novel as Marlows journey results in a trial that not only defines his own beliefs but allows him to make a rather pessimisticRead More Restraint in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay3965 Words   |  16 Pagesprogresses in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is paramount to any understanding of the work. The storyteller Marlow first believes that restraint is what separates civilization from chaos and society from savagery. 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It resists and fightsRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesLabor-Management Cooperation 358 Public Sector Unionization 359 Unionizing the Nontraditional Employee 359 DID YOU KNOW?: Is There Addition by Subtraction? 360 International Labor Relations 360 Differing Perspectives Toward Labor Relations 361 The European Community 362 Summary 362 Demonstrating Comprehension: Questions for Review 363 Key Terms 363 364 HRM Workshop Linking Concepts to Practice: Discussion Questions 364 Developing Diagnostic and Analytical Skills 364 Case Application 14: â€Å"Save Money

Benefits Of Being An American Citizen Essay - 1500 Words

Unaffordable and Inaccessible: Health Care Disparities in America â€Å"Liberty and Justice for all†. This phrase means to most that being an American citizen will grant you the benefits of freedom and fair treatment from everyone. Some may argue whether or not this holds true, however, the United States truly has come a long way from an equality standpoint since its inception. Liberty and Justice was not always for all. Minorities in particular, did not share any of the benefits of being in the land of the free and brave; does this still hold true today when it comes to the availability of heath care? Going to the doctor for a simple checkup and prescription should be considered a normal and affordable part of life. Being medically insured allows this to be done with ease, but for the large percentage of the minority population who are not, it can be a daunting task. Those who end up getting medical care without the proper insurance can rack up debt that becomes impossible to pay off. According to a study done by Wiltshire, Elder, Elder, K iefe, and Allison (2016), 21.4% of African Americans had some form of medical debt with their Caucasian counterparts only having seven point one percent. This paper examines who is affected most by medical debt and lack of insurance, how geographical differences influence those individuals, and what is being done to make health care more affordable. Who is Affected There is no doubt that the minority population is mostly affected by healthShow MoreRelatedThe Rights Of The United States1356 Words   |  6 PagesHuman rights are inherent to being human and essentially a right obtained by any being born in the world. These rights do not discriminate whether one was born in the United States or in Mexico. Essentially, they are what it means to be a human being, not if you are a citizen to a specific country. 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Ethical Issues Faced By Rio Tinto - Free Sample Solution

Question: Describe about the Ethical Issues Faced by Rio Tinto. Answer: Analysis Is it ethical that Rio Tinto utilize Aboriginal land in Australia without consent from traditional owner Rio Tinto main policy gains increased opportunities especially for indigenous Australians as reflected in the agreement. This makes use of Aboriginal Traditional owners as well as Aboriginal groups affecting Rio Tinto operations. In addition, Rio Tinto Corporation enters into agreements pertaining towards exploration in terms of land access agreements as well as mining in mine regional development agreements (Kapelus, 2012). Rio Tinto majorly operates in more than 100 land access agreements as well as 10 mine regional development agreements. Addition to that, this company negotiates formal binding agreements with major host indigenous communications depending upon mutual obligations. This particularly ensures communities in getting better results as driven by own destinies. Mine Regional Development agreements renders long-term foundation especially for building cordial relationships with local communities. This majorly covers areas like formal recognition of indigenous land interest as well as distribution and management. Addition to that, it takes into consideration cultural heritage protection for accessing environmental management in case of rendering cross-cultural training as well as community support for operational activities (Blowfield, 2013). Therefore, Mine regional development agreements aims at setting up an institutional partnership within business and host community at the same time. This help in maintaining partnership whereby Indigenous communities as well as operations seeks engagement with meeting the rising need of traditional community. Reference List Blowfield, M. (2013). Ethical trade: a review of developments and issues.Third World Quarterly,20(4), 753-770. Kapelus, P. (2012). Mining, corporate social responsibility and the" community": The case of Rio Tinto, Richards Bay Minerals and the Mbonambi.Journal of Business Ethics,39(3), 275-296.

Modern Brazil The Narrative of Race and Inequality

Robin Sheriff’s book Dreaming Equality can give readers deep insights into the problem of interracial relations in the contemporary Brazil. The first two chapters of this work are aimed at describing the experiences of people living in favelas or shanty towns. These examples that the author provides can tell much about the challenges faced by the residents of these settlements.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Brazil: The Narrative of Race and Inequality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main strength of this book is that the author relies not only on the statistical data, but also on the interviews given by people living in favelas. This approach makes his arguments more informative and convincing. This is why this source is worth reading. According to Peter Sheriff, Brazilian academicians avoid mentioning that nearly 75 percent of people living in slums are non-white (Sheriff 18). Furthermore, o ne can speak about the existence of residential as well racial segregation. The ancestors of these people were enslaved and brought to the colonies (Sheriff 18). To a great extent, this economic inequality can be regarded as a legacy of slavery in Brazil. It seems that such a trend can be observed in other countries in which slave labor was extensively used, for example, one mention the so-called inner cities in the United States. Certainly, Peter Sheriff’s arguments cannot be generalized, but he is able to show that modern societies are still affected by the discourse of race. For instance, one can mention that some governmental officials in Brazil have a rather biased attitude toward the residents of favelas. Very often, they believe that they are rude and uncultured (Sheriff 19). Certainly, I am not directly familiar with this form of discrimination, but it seems that it is widespread in modern communities. Another aspect of this reading is that Peter Sheriff tries to give voice to favela residents. Judging from their responses, in Brazil the language of race is still vital for describing the identity of a person (Sheriff 39). Moreover, there is a distinct correlation between the race of an individual and his/her socio-economic status in the community. Furthermore, one should remember that in the public opinion, the word negro is often associated with ugliness, marginality, and darkness (Sheriff 39). In my opinion, by focusing on people’s experience, Robin Sheriff is able to throw a new light on the challenges that they encounter.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, the author’s discussion leaves many questions unanswered. Certainly, it is vital to know how people perceive race. However, one still has to determine ways of overcoming the legacies of slavery in Brazil. This issue is particularly relevant to the residents of favelas who struggle with poverty and crime. This is the main limitation of the writer’s analysis. However, one can argue that Robin Sheriff has successfully demonstrated that despite the emphasis on diversity and tolerance, racial rhetoric still plays an important part in the modern world. Such a country as Brazil is only one example of state in which there is a distinct relationship between race and social status. This is why this work should not be overlooked. On the whole, Peter Sheriff’s analysis is useful for understanding how colonial past and slavery can shape the development of the country. It can help people better understand various academic works examining such concepts as race and racism. Finally, by reading this book, one can get a better idea of contemporary Brazil. Works Cited Sheriff, Robin. Dreaming Equality: Color, Race, and Racism in Urban Brazil, New York: Rutgers University Press, 2001. Print. This essay on Modern Brazil: The Narrative of Race and Inequality was written and submitted by user Jamie Chaney to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.