International Journal of English Literature and Culture

Vol. 12(2), pp. 79-85, June 2024

 ISSN: 2360-7831

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijelc2024130

 

Review

 

Abstract

 

In Joseph Conrad’s novella, Heart of Darkness, the narrative explores the coexistence of Whites and Blacks in a discriminatory and oppressive manner. This abstract focuses on the critical reading of this aspect within the novella. Heart of Darkness depicts the journey of the protagonist, Marlow, into the heart of Africa, where he encounters the brutal exploitation of the African people by European colonizers. The novella raises important questions about power dynamics, racism, and the dehumanization of the African population. One key aspect of the discriminatory coexistence portrayed in the novella is the stark contrast between the white colonizers and the black natives. Conrad presents the white characters as superior and civilized, while the African natives are depicted as primitive and savage. This portrayal perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces the idea of white supremacy. Furthermore, Conrad’s use of language and imagery contributes to the dehumanisation of the African people. They are often referred to as “savages” or “brutes” reducing their identities to mere stereotypes. So, by critically examining the discriminatory coexistence between the Whites and the Blacks in Heart of Darkness, readers can gain insights into the complex dynamics of power, racism, and oppression.

 

Keywords: Africans, Europeans, Discrimination ; hatred ; deshumanisation,  

 

Cite This Article As: IBOURAHIMA BORO, R.A., SEGUEDEME, H.A (2024). Critical Reading of the Whites and the Blacks’ Discriminatory Coexistence in J.Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Inter. J. Eng. Lit. Cult. 12(2): 79-85