The Heart of Darkness reflects the paradoxes of imperialism in the late 19th century.
Imperialism is the act of developing a country in infrastructures and basic growth by the superior countries in order to exploit the minor countries. In Africa, during colonization the superior countries developed African countries in growth and improved literacy level while reaping the benefits from the native countries.
In the Heart of Darkness, the author demonstrates imperialism to be costly and ridiculous in conquests of Africa. It is contrary to the expectation of the Africa since the profit was not proportional to the Africans. The end did not justify the means but there was a team that misquoted saying that there was much effort in gaining resources from Africa which was ridiculous.
The superior countries involved in imperialism were Great Britain, France, and Spain in Africa countries in nineteenth century. They worked hard to claim some areas in America in search of gaining ownership of the country‘s resources and conversation of the citizens into Christianity. During colonialism, the colonies gain precious metals and other variable resources back to their countries making it richer hence settling wage wars and debts.
In the Heart of Darkness, there was exploration of European imperialism in Africa. There were no sympathies upon the slaves. Their labor was of no strange to European history and culture since they were used to practice slavery in their exploitation. The African countries used slaves to settle their debts or they gain slaves after conquering an area. During the colonial period most Africana were uncivilized and this being one reason to why the Europeans take advantage on Africans. The exploitation level increased and the term slaves were converted to criminals besides of their hard work.
Conrad simply implies in his writing that the criminals had no rule of law thus they toiled in hardship. If an African was found to commit a crime, one was forced to work for the society as z contribution. In European countries slavery was eradicated but it appeared that they continued practicing slavery; this was a paradox of imperialism.
In the tales of the European have a direct simplicity, through Marlow who is not a character, as the narrator acknowledges. He said in his tale, that the European employs arrogant imperialism language in contrast with the reality. Marlow said that the European couldn’t tolerate a lie this was indirect with the truth because he tells an inconclusive tales. Most of the tales were built on irony for instance “a tale of adopting the posture of a preaching Buddha: its definition implies to unreliable narrator. The meaning was concealed and later the apparent contrasts always turn out to be parallels. This was application of a paradox of imperialism of language.
In the native, the Africa recall of the great spirit of the past where a river flow into a mystery of the unknown earth. Marlow gives out different views after introducing his story. He said that, in a brilliant confidence, that England was also a dark place on the earth. This portrays colonization of Africa as unpleasant moment in the history of western imperialism. This was a paradox imperialism since in England, we are told that slavery was abolished that shows that they were civilized unlike the Africans. Marlow knew that could not happen in the superior countries.
Works Cited
Conrad, Joseph, and Franklin Walker. Heart of Darkness; and the Secret Sharer. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. Print.
Roth, Tim, John Malkovich, and Nicolas Roeg. Heart of Darkness. Atlanta, Ga. N.p., n.d. Print.
