Race And Racism In Heart Of Darkness English Literature Essay

Race And Racism In Heart Of Darkness English Literature Essay One of the central issues that arise from Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness (1899) is the colonialist bias used to misrepresent the African race. Whilst Conrad was not himself accountable for the xenophobic westernised image of Africa, his story maintains the damaging stereotyping of native people. By painting them as bestialised, barbaric, primitive and uncivilised, he explores the black race through the lens of a hegemonic European representation; Conrads uses of myth and metaphor supported the colonial conquest of African people on the colonisers assumption that these people were racially inferior. Nevertheless, Conrad was writing at a time when the historical representation of Africans had always been a discourse of racism. Also, perhaps Conrad failed to appropriately depict Africans because he recognized little of their culture, having primarily spent time with white men during his 6 months at the African Congo. Moreover, by undermining imperial superiority and giving satanic ref erences to the colonisers, one may contend he is similarly insulting towards the Europeans, and that his exaggerated racism seeks to ridicule Europes civilising mission, and expose the ingrained racist ideals of Victorian imperialists. Marlow, the central protagonist and narrator of Heart of Darkness, expresses old racist prejudices against the Africans: They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces, but what thrilled you was the thought of their humanity like yoursà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ugly. Not only does he deny the Africans a distinction of a name, he also rids them of normal human behaviour. Marlow belittles them with derogatory language, stressing that they mimic animalistic behaviour and have no methods of speech outside of violent babble and crude grunts. According to Chinua Achebe, these representations call the very humanity of black people into question. On the matter of communication, it is noteworthy that a small amount of English syllables are placed into the mouths of one or two Congolese Africans. It is in submitting to the hegemonic language of the coloniser that Conrad replaces native culture with his own, which he considers superior. It is this supposition of an advanced humanity which leads A chebe to brand Conrad a through-going racist. Nonetheless, it can be argued that Marlow is a product of a fairly racist era in history; a period in which racist discourses remained structured by Empire to legitimize its political ideology of suppression over the Africans. Like his contemporaries, Conrad is writing at a time where it was acceptable to view Africans as the other, and by overusing the words savage and nigger, he conforms to the racist sentiments of the day. Consequently, his story which was published in the Blackwood magazine, targets the conservative politics of the late nineteenth century. Furthermore, Conrad mentions in his authors note that his over exaggeration of the savage image had the purpose of bringing it home to the minds and bosoms of the reader. This admittance of a distorted characteristic account of the natives may explain his savage depiction of them. He also uses these images to make the setting realistic, accentuating the novels grave themes of darkness, and fear of the unknown. Being a victim of his time, Conrads portrayals of the African race also conform to the evolutionary trope of Charles Darwins theory of evolution. By painting Africans as the prehistoric man, and portraying Marlows voyage upriver as travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, Conrad integrates the temporal evolutionary trope in Heart of Darkness; he suggests that Europeans are at a more superior position, since the Africans have not yet emerged from prehistory. His repeated animalistic images of the natives place Africans at the low end of the scale: one of the creatures rose to his hands and knees and went off on all fours towards the river to drink. Linking in with Darwinism science, Conrad reduces the Africans into a subspecies between apes and Caucasians. The African here is represented as a modern ancestor, an animal, a barely human body without intelligence. Consequently, he views the Africans as prehistoric evils in desperate need of European influence and evolutio n; an outlook which reaffirms him as the personification of colonialism. Darwins views which had become entrenched in society are used here by Marlow to provide the principal ideological support for imperialism. Suggests that Europeans are at a more superior position, as opposed to the Africans since the latter has not yet emerged from prehistory Though truthful, Marlow is a prejudiced man; he is the personification of colonialism.   Going into the Congo, Marlow views the natives as prehistoric evils in desperate need of white influence and civilization. Throughout the physical journey, Marlow is confronted with the natives time and time again, seeing them chained as slaves, living in a village and attacking his own steam boat. Marlow holds fast his prejudiced view of the natives, referring to them as savages or calling them by more derogatory terms such as niggers. Through his exploration, he questions the humanity of Africans. According to him this deliberate stylistic obfuscation merely aided to satisfy the racial sentiments of the day, and Conrad was only acting as the purveyor of comforting myths Counter argue that he was a polish writer who had to show his mettle with the English language However, in his authors note he writes how over exaggeration is used. Sombre theme given sinister resonance perhaps explains the extreme savage image. It can also be said Much of his animalistic language of the black race conforms to the evolutionary trope of Charles Darwin whose views became entrenched in society. African on all fours like ants. So for someone, who had little contact, he makes use of these derogatory stereotypes, and it can be said that he relies on these preconceived ideas and western baggage since they dominate his descriptions. Maintains, and justifies imperialism, and although he witnesses the horror of colonialism and suppression of the Africans, it is interesting to note his approval of efficient imperialist activity. However, his constant questioning of imperialist values, and the sham of it all, reveal his anti essentialist views. slightly flatter noses. This acknowledges that the black race is more or less equal to whites, barring a few inconsequential physical attributes. Kurtz on the other hand shows no remorse whatsoever. He holds the absolute essential view to exterminate all the blacks. He holds the ideology of making the black race extinct. Hes a ruthless ivory trader, and arranges for the dead heads to displayed on poles. The white race use crude violence, and brute force. Very occasionally the natives show resistance, but their left largely helpless against the overpowering military control of the Europeans. They have no authority or voice. The colonists have become corrupted. They are blinded by the notion that this is their sacred duty to uphold the superiority of the colonial empire and white heritage. Through Marlow disapproval, he shows and exposes the Europeans, is equally deameaning, offensive, and undermines their superiority. flabby white devils.. Critiques immoral European behaviour. Transcends such prejudice, shows him to rise above racism. Ridicules benevolent project of civilisation. Uses an ambivalent tone to show the violent colonial enterprise. Kurtz the ultimate satanic, racist. Has the heart of darkness. However if he is showing Africa to be the reason for the deterioration of the European mans morale, it merely becomes a backdrop which eliminates the African as human factor. They have become marginalised. This marginalisation shows further through Kurtz mistress. He is racist towards her, but not so to his white woman. 333 But its interesting, that Marlow does approve of efficient colonialism. Puts in a section of Brtish colonialism. It is almost with this preconceived mindset that Marlow almost succumbs to this same worst impulsive violent mindset (look at thinking lit answer bold). Going further into self discovery and realises his own heart of darkness. Paints Africa as the heart of darkness, suggesting that its wilderness and wild inhabitants drive the Europeans to insanity and violence. Takes this stance to almost show how the Dark Continent is responsible for his behaviour, thus showing it to be the cause of Kurtzs insanity. Almost blaming Africans that they hold out temptations. His racist sentiments continue throughout. However, unlike the other colonists, Marlow does show some sympathy and admiration towards the natives; a viewpoint, emphasising his forward thinking mindset. Upon his very first encounter, he praises there vitality, muscles and seems entirely at peace with them. Gives the dying man a biscuit, and becomes friends with helman. Has a remote kinship with them as opposed to nothing with Europeans. Therefore it can be evaluated that he is just brainwashed by the politics of the time, but his contemplative nature, allows him to see through the cracks, and appreciate the African race. Later descriptions thus allow for readers to see the absurdity of racism. (Cedric Watts) Conclusion Although Marlow shows himself to be concerned with the heart of humankind, and the souls of individuals, the text emerged out of the very centre of racism and imperialism, therefore Marlow can be seen as merely replicating the colonial discourses available to him. Although he criticises the extreme brutal ness of Imperialism, he discourse is grounded in political, economic interest. He simply looks at Africa through a haze of distortions and cheap mystifications. It can be said that Conrad just uses Marlow to confirm and consolidate the wildest fantasies of the African savages to his European readers. However in my opinion his racist exaggeration and imperialist critique, are used to show how absurd racism was. http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=7947

The Labyrinth of Life in The Garden of Forking Paths by Yu Tsun Essay

The Labyrinth of Life in The Garden of Forking Paths by Yu Tsun A labyrinth is classically a human construction designed to confuse. It can trap our lives, hiding our past and future and constantly forcing us to make choices, even though we may not know what the consequences of those choices might be. The confusion of the puzzle may even tempt us to run blindly through the labyrinth, ending in disaster. Life itself is often considered such a labyrinth, and by adopting the strategies of travelers who came before and choosing our path cautiously while playing close attention to the patterns of our lives, we may find the right path through the maze. Although the Labyrinth appears to be an intellectual challenge, every turn is accompanied by an ethical dilemma as well. 'The Garden of Forking Paths' is both an ethical and intellectual riddle. Consideration of Yu Tsun's intellectual choices must be accompanied by consideration of his ethical choices. The most terrifying aspect of the garden of forking paths is that the ending of the maze is never in sight. Often, we are aware of only the obvious consequences of taking any particular turn, while the obscure consequences are rarely anticipated. As a result, we cannot be sure where the next turn will bring us until we have made the choice. An action of tremendous personal significance, such as Stephen Albert's murder, may have no greater consequences than a winning a battle in a war that the German's could possibly end up losing. Ts'ui PÃ ªn himself was murdered by a stranger before he had a chance to explain the nature of his labyrinth, while the current war was started by another homicidal stranger. The choices made by these men within their labyrinths have brought Yu Tsun to Stephen Albert's home, to become the stranger who will kill Albert. The action of the story seems inevitable, yet such inevitability is a deception. The path we have chosen may appear to be the only path tha t can be taken, but in reality, the possibilities are far more complex, as Albert explains that Ts'ui PÃ ªn ?did not believe in a uniform, absolute time. He believed in an infinite series of times, in a growing, dizzying net of divergent, convergent, and parallel times . . .[where] time forks perpetually toward innumerable futures?(579). If we could see consequences of each decision we made before forced to make the decision, taking... ...ze. Furthermore, avoiding one hazard may cause us to fall subject to another. The labyrinth is infinite in size, and we are only aware of a very minute fraction, but contemplating too much on the unlived possibilities can cause us to be unaware of the present. However, to completely ignore these possibilities, and to ?imagine a future as irrecoverable as the past? (575) will leave us just as lost and trapped. Every decision we make within our garden of forking paths opens up another set of possibilities, possibly leading us into another labyrinth. If we allow our ethical sense to become clouded, we may even find ourselves in a labyrinth of our own making, a maze where the compass points are lost and every decision only serves to trap us more securely. There will always be choices never made, turns never taken, discoveries lost forever to the twists and turns of fate. We will never discover the innumerable fates of our counterparts in Ts'ui PÃ ªn's endless series of possibilities. Works Cited Borges, Jorge Luis. ?The Garden of Forking Paths.? The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. J. Paul Hunter, Alison Booth,and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2002.

Generational Poverty

Generational poverty is an unfortunate issue which affects individuals, families, and cultures all over the world. Generational poverty is considered a very complex problem due to the length of time and ways it affects certain families as an entirety. The severity of this issue makes it extremely difficult to find any resolutions in improving this epidemic. If a family is experiencing generational poverty, they have had to live in poverty for a minimum of two generations.According to Cleveland, â€Å"It is important to recognize this time factor to be able to separate it from â€Å"situational poverty,† characteristically understood as a lack of resources due to particular sets of events, i. e. a death, chronic illness, divorce, etc. ,† (n. d. ). Almost every family and individual decision is made for the present. Individuals are not taught to think ahead and plan for their future. This is a trending factor in the difficulty in overcoming generational poverty.Members wh om belong to generational poverty have a sense of entitlement from society. Individuals have a constant defense mechanism to society as a whole. The most significant aspect to families suffering from generational poverty is that the â€Å"momma† is the central figure and focus to the family. The mom is what feels safe to the family. She is the ultimate caregiver to individuals in her family and to her house. Even after her children have grown into adults, both the mother and children have a difficult time with the child becoming independent.Love is the center of â€Å"momma’s† home. The male figure in generational poverty is responsible for the manual labor and will fight for their family. Although they display a rough outer layer, they still show a great love for the members in their family. Even though there is a constant, huge amount of love, most communication within the family maintains in a nonverbal form. Overcoming generational poverty can be a challengi ng task. There are several key factors when considering on improving the poverty status.Some of these factors include: Education is key in getting out and staying out of generational poverty, being in poverty is rarely about a lack of intelligence or ability, individuals stay in poverty because they do not see â€Å"choice†, or if they do, they do not know how to access proper resources or people to get them to the point of actually â€Å"choosing† to organize themselves, complete assignments, behave respectfully, plan for the future, and communicate in conventional register (Cleveland, n.d. ).Once a child is born into generational poverty, schools are one of the few places where they are exposed to certain choices and rules of how a higher class lives. This also allows the child access to resources and people who want to assist in the child rising from poverty. There are specific characteristics displayed in those suffering from generational poverty, which contribute to the difficulty in overcoming it. One of these characteristics is the â€Å"working memory†.â€Å"Neuroscientists discovered that the working memories of children raised in poverty are much smaller compared to those in middle-class,† (Pinoy, 2009). An individual’s brain capacity is a crucial part of their development. If a child is raised in a stressful household, the stress causes a limited supply of new nerve cells in the brain and memory. This can make it very difficult for the child to solve problems, read and properly communicate. The most effective way to begin overcoming generational poverty is for society to have a clear understanding of the complexity of this issue.Women face many unique challenges in the different stages of poverty life. Although, many issues that trap women and girls in generational poverty can be alleviated by a good education. Job prospects multiply with every level of school completed; better jobs bring more income and, consequen tly, more options for housing, transportation, child-care and healthcare. But, it is challenging for a woman to secure a good education due to the several setbacks. A woman in poverty does to have the ability or access to pay for necessary education for either her or her child(ren).A woman in poverty is consumed with the hours she spends working to care for the home and kids and feels this is the number one priority. It is also normal for the women to not have access to reliable transportation. According to Knight, â€Å"For a girl who seems to be making her way up the ladder out of generational poverty, pregnancy can be an enormous setback,† (2012). Mental health is even more likely to be neglected. The research shows that starting early by teaching girls life skills, such as financial  planning and goal setting, can reduce stress and increase self-esteem.Girls who live with hope and support are more likely to feel that they have inherent value and don’t have to dep end on others – including boys – for validation. In order to improve the challenges that women in poverty face, it is imperative for society to offer programs and convenience to teach these women on how to improve their life quality. Mentors should be available to provide services on sharing examples and how positive goals can be accomplished by taking the necessary steps.I have learned a great deal of information after viewing the informational videos and reading all the material on generational poverty. It has definitely changed my perspective on how I approach this special population. As most of the general population, stereotyping is a part of my daily life. I never truly understood the depth of the generational poverty issues that are present. I have learned that not only is there a lack of school environment education, but individuals suffering from generational poverty need educated on how to â€Å"properly† live life each day in order to obtain goals.I h ave also learned these families can love more than your average family. They have a very strong bond between the members within their family. While love is important and necessary, they also have a misperception of life goals. The implications of this destructive cycle are the reasons generational poverty continues to be an issue. It not only affects individuals, it affects the family structure for many generations. Society as a whole needs to determine more effective ways to break it.

Musically Inspired Movements Essays - 778 Words

From infancy to adulthood, music has been a huge part of our lives. Whether one is listening to their favorite song in the car or out at a social event, music not only is very entertaining, but possesses the ability to influence specific behaviors in an individual. With music, various emotions are triggered using schema’s and person-level and context-level construct’s. Schema’s are like a folder in a document that collects and combines a host of day-to-day interactions in the everyday life of an individual. For example, think about every time you have attended a birthday party. By attending multiple birthday parties, you then have a â€Å"schema† of what to expect and not to expect at a birthday party. This concept is also applied to music. Our†¦show more content†¦Michael Jackson hoped that society would be aware about the mismanagement of the Earth. As a result, the â€Å"Earth Song† was given much attention. This musical piece was able t o change many people’s perspective towards the Earth as the song raised awareness around the world just as Michael hoped for. However, when hearing his musical piece, individual’s reacted differently between one another (Barret et al, 2010). While many people finally became aware of how mistreated the world we live in is, not everyone was touched on an emotional aspect due to person-level constructs (Barret et al, 2010). However, even until this day, the â€Å"Earth Song† will remain relevant until the world is healed of our mismanagement. Also during the late 1990’s, another movement was starting to begin in the Hip-Hop industry between two prominent stars, Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G, also known as Biggie Smalls. Both were the biggest names in Hip-Hop. The rivalry split between the East Coast, led by Biggie Smalls and Bad Boy Records and the West Coast represented by Tupac and Death Row Records. 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