Read the excerpt from “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conradâs Heart of Darkness.â
Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as “the other world,” the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man’s vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality. The book opens on the River Thames, tranquil, resting, peacefully “at the decline of day after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks.” But the actual story will take place on the River Congo, the very antithesis of the Thames.
Read the excerpt from Joseph Conradâs Heart of Darkness.
We were wanderers on a prehistoric earth, on an earth that wore the aspect of an unknown planet. We could have fancied ourselves the first of men taking possession of an accursed inheritance, to be subdued at the cost of profound anguish and of excessive toil. But suddenly, as we struggled round a bend, there would be a glimpse of rush walls, of peaked grass-roofs, a burst of yells, a whirl of black limbs, a mass of hands clapping, of feet stamping, of bodies swaying, of eyes rolling, under the droop of heavy and motionless foliage.
Which statement best explains how these two excerpts are related?
Both passages stress the valuable contributions of European travelers in Africa.Both passages describe an untrue image of Africa as uncivilized and undeveloped.Both passages emphasize the immense potential of the African continent.Both passages focus on the importance of rivers and waterways for progress.
Sample Answer
The statement that best explains how these two excerpts are related is:
Both passages describe an untrue image of Africa as uncivilized and undeveloped. 1
Here’s why:
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The first excerpt from Achebe’s critique explicitly states that Heart of Darkness “projects the image of Africa as ‘the other world,’ the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man’s vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality.” This highlights the portrayal of Africa as the opposite of civilized Europe.
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The second excerpt from Conrad’s Heart of Darkness itself provides an example of this portrayal. The description of the Congo as a “prehistoric earth,” an “unknown planet,” and an “accursed inheritance” paints a picture of a land outside of established history and development. The inhabitants are depicted through fleeting glimpses of “rush walls,” “peaked grass-roofs,” “bursts of yells,” and a “whirl of black limbs,” reducing them to an almost primal and chaotic spectacle rather than a developed society.
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