A Heart Not So Dark

Hunt Hawkins, “Heart of Darkness and Racism”

-Despite Conrad’s descriptions and characterizations that dehumanize Africans, Hawkins believes Conrad is far from racist.
-“It would be a mistake, nonetheless, to read Achebe, any more than Conrad”
- Conrad was a sturdy opponent of European imperialism. Marlow states, “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing.”
-Conrad points out that Europeans don’t live up to their own ideals as civilizers.
-Somewhat racist since it continues to assume Africans are at the low end of the scale
-Krutz corruption comes from Europeans not Africans, who are rarely present through the novel
-“Conrad did not share the most extreme racism of his time. He did not wish the annihilation of all non-Europeans” like Achebe suggests.