Working alone or with one or two partners, answer two of the following questions with two to three thoughtful paragraphs. Respond by posting on our class blog, and stay tuned for responses from peers in Africa.
3. What do you and your partner(s) think about colonialism and its lasting effects? In your answer, refer to the attitude(s) of one or more character(s) in Heart of Darkness, and include at least one textual reference with citation.
Daniel Ullrich
ReplyDeleteBryce Spindel
Andrew Rabbio
Colonialism was a strong idea for the Europeans, but the way the Europeans carried out colonizing Africa and leaving Africa was very poorly carried out. Colonialism had a lasting effect on the religious, economic and social structures of Africa. As a result of colonialism, situations like the Heart of Darkness happened where Africans were enslaved to make money for the Europeans. In the Heart of Darkness Kurtz is not really fore colonialism, but he is forced support colonialism in Africa due to he needs money, Conrad says, “the word of ivory rang in the air… You would think they are praying to it.” As a result of corrupted European colonialism of Africa, it has left Africa in constant turmoil.
We believe that, at first, colonialism had good intentions. However, over the course of many years, the intentions turned harmful to the lives of many. Heart of Darkness is a very disturbing book and really makes you think. The section where Marlow journeys to the “valley of the dead”, shocked and disturbed us all. One of the most descriptive parts Marlow explained stated, “ 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.”
ReplyDeleteThat one sentence explains it all. This passage allowed us to look through many different lenses and put ourselves in the text. Like Marlow, we were all astounded by the cruelty put onto the natives.
~Sydney F, Cheyenne R, Colbin L, Jacob M
Colonialism ended up having lasting negative effects in the Congo. In "Heart of Darkness" Marlow's attention is caught by the "clanking of chains behind him"(13). There were black men marching and carrying baskets. Marlow could see "every rib [and] the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope" (13). Marlow was shocked and sickened by the sight of the slaves. He explained to the man "I've seen the devil of violence, I've seen the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire; but, by all the stars! there were strong, lusty, red eyed devils, that drove men-- men, I tell you" (53). These events from so long ago have left the Congo scarred from the horrors of colonialism and has left racism, religious prejudice, and economic struggles.
ReplyDelete-Amanda Sciarabba, Dylan Stup, Andrew Michalski
Colonialism was a cruel and oppressive way in which European countries obtained the materials and areas they were after. The lasting effects of colonialism include; depleted resources of the area, native animals becoming endangered, areas of Africa still inhabited by whites, and racism and bitterness from both sides of the conflict. In Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow sees/ experiences some of the cruelness that was inflicted upon the natives of the area.
ReplyDelete“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… The work was going on. The Work! And this was the place where some of the helpers had gone to die… They were dying slowly- it was very clear. They were not enemies, the were not criminals, the were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom” (Conrad 14).
This quote is just one of the many examples of how cruel and inhuman the natives were treated during colonialism.
- Laura Galloway & Jacob Brooks
While colonialism did provide Africa with new technologies and connected Africa to the increasing globalization of the world it was ultimately negative for the Africans caught in the middle. In Heart of Darkness I believe Joseph Conrad analyzes how brutal the “pilgrims” were to the natives. While they were there many Africans were brutally punished, murdered and torn from their families with effects we can still see today. Conrad writes, “‘They were dying slowly-it was very clear. They were enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the green gloom” (Conrad 14). This quote clearly shows how over-worked, diseased and horrible life was for the native Africans during the early years of colonialism. While the pilgrims are living it up, one so nicely dressed he looked like an angel, the clear divisions of race that colonialism had. These continued until apartheid was ended only a few decades ago. Colonialism was a ravenous beast eating the natural resources of Africa and anything that got in its way. Its negative impact lasted for centuries even with the technological benefits it brought to Africa.
ReplyDeleteTrenton tosetti Adam Zuckerman
Question # 3
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, colonialism at first had good intentions but very quickly turned bad. Colonialism was evil and unfair. The Europeans took advantage of the Africans and their resources. Lasting effects because of colonialism are that there are not enough resources left, whites are still trying to take over parts of Africa, animals are becoming endangered, and conflict and fighting still are going on in the areas.
In Heart of Darkness, Marlow experiences how colonialism has started to take a toll on Africa by Kurtz's ways. Marlow gets to see how this colonialism is having an effect on not only the African's but the environment around them. Marlow states, "They were dying slowly--it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom." (Conrad 14). This quote gives us a clear understanding of how colonialism was having an effect on the locals of the area. Not only did colonialism have the effect of starving and spreading disease because of the lack of help then, but these things are still linguring today.
-Elizabeth Kemp
Colonialism carries along many lasting effects, which I believe are more harmful than beneficial. Specifically speaking about Africa, the introduction to technology spurred violent reactions from a once peaceful continent. Of course, this was only the beginning; colonialism in Africa was more forced than it was anything else. Napalm strikes and ground assaults intended to “subdue the natives” became normal and seemed justified to the Europeans. In fact, Marlow’s aunt represents one of the citizens who believed that the colonizers seemed like “something like an emissary of light, something like a lower sort of apostle.” This kind of thinking contributed to the “Heart of Darkness”, being naivety and wealth while innocent natives suffer.
ReplyDelete-Scott Moranetz
We believe Colonialism could be a good idea, but in this situation it caused more harm to people than good in the long run. In this case, Colonialism turned once peaceful villages to empty, dark, and hollow shells of what they were. These lasting effects such as poverty, lack of resources, domination of the whites, and push to slavery turned Colonialism into a raging monster. Conrad shows in Heart of Darkness how the controllers of these innocent villages turned around and transformed them into slaves for ivory and the stations to mimic the sepulchral European cities. As Harlow first approaches the first station, he "foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of that land I would become acquainted with a flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly. How insidious he could be, too." (Conrad 13) and explains how past the bright light that seemed to shine out from the city, blinded newcomers to hide the truth of their fake, selfish, and truly hollow interior.
ReplyDeleteCassie Blochinger, Cole Johnson
Colonialism had an overall negative impact on Africa. It helped temporarily, but in the long run was bad. I think that colonialism was simply Europeans being greety. They were not trying to help Africa, they were looking for more control. Europeans wanted to make money off from what they could in Africa, at the expense of the natives and their environment. When talking about the natives, Marlow sats,"Black rags were wound round their loins, and the short ends behind waggled to and fro like tails. I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking" (Conrad 13). This quote shows some of the effects on the natives.
ReplyDeleteShortly after this, Marlow says, "You know I am not particularily tender; I've had to strike out and to fend off" (Conrad 13). This attitude that Marlow has shows that he does not respect the natives. He is for the most part saying that the natives are wild and he must protect himself from them. He avoids the men chained together by turning the other way.
Although today, colonialism’s lasting effects positively influenced both Europe and the colonized; when it took place, the Europeans handled it in a savage and oppressive manner. In the Heart of Darkness, the colonists were aggressive in their arrival, but aimless in their occupancy. They treated the natives with negligence and violence, forcing them into hard labor with no benefit.
ReplyDeleteThe first time natives were addressed with any true esteem, let alone respect, was at Kurtz’s base of operations, where they worked by choice, not by force. In the end, the Europeans, not the natives, displayed savagery. "He declared he would shoot me unless I gave him the ivory and then cleared out of the country, because he could do so, and had a fancy for it, and there was nothing on earth to prevent him killing whom he jolly well pleased," (HoD part 3). This is a good representation of the Europeans behavior: displaying cruelty, hypocrisy and handling the affairs of their dark colonialism.
Nikki Mizer and Jay Henderson
Luke Chamberlain
ReplyDeleteAs the Europeans colonized there were many great results and many horrible outcomes. The good effects of colonialism made the world what it is today. However one nation can not rise without consequences to another. In the Heart of Darkness this is exactly what happened. The Europeans thrived off the ivory in Africa to build Europe. The Africans were forced to work tirelessly. This same scenario has occurred count less times throughout history.