Speech and racism in colonial literature Essay Example for Free

Speech and racism in colonial literature Essay As Dennis Leary said, racism isn’t born, it is taught. Racism is a weapon able to denigrate and dehumanize people. â€Å"Racism has always been present in colonization especially soon after the Europeans colonized the New World, the idea of racial distinctions developed† (LaRocque). Still until today, the colonial attitude especially towards black people is due because of economic power. Many postcolonial novels show themes such as racism, abuse of power, violence and speech to show the perspective of both sides of the conflict; the black and the white. Literature is a gift because it allows people to shape their perspectives of the world. In the novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad readers are able to see the postcolonial literature perspective in similar stories from different sides. This essay will analyze speech in Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart in order to prove how Achebe’s novel exposes the racism found in Heart of Darkness. Stories are important because they shape a person’s mind by influencing their lives. Stories arise out of a person’s belief and therefore cannot be disproven (â€Å"Comparing†). These both novels through stories portray issues in different societies and its complexity. Things Fall Apart is an amazing novel that shows the life of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria, Africa. The novel surrounds the main character Okonkwo, a tragic hero who refuses to accept the fate of his dead father but rather self-preserves himself. Through Okonkwo many themes are portrayed dealing with violence, masculinity and the importance of religion for the Igbo tribe. Achebe’s novel shows in detail this society and thus the complexity of their way of living. Lgbo people are hardworking, religious, obedient and follow the calendar based on harvesting. This points the set of beliefs and systems that indigenous people of Africa have developed for their life’s (â€Å"Use†). Achebe also displays the role of men and women in society and how women are assign unimportant roles being men the power in the Igbo society. The importance of speech in the novel is prioritized as the author uses Igbo language thus creating a distinctive African story. It shows an image of Africa before colonialism changed it (â€Å"Use†). In the other hand, Josephs Conrad’s novella acts more as a criticism comparing the civilized and the uncivilized. This shows the power of the white Europeans on their colonization in Africa. As its title, it shows the darkest side of humans by brutality and racism. The novella starts in the Nellie at the Thames River when the captain Charlie Marlow starts to narrate his stories about how he entered to Africa and his experiences. Marlow has always have passion for maps, exploring and adventure that is what begins his journey to a new and mysterious world; Africa. Through his stories we see the complexity of the African jungle and how this place influences the characters. The only thing that inspires and drives Marlow is his desire to meet Kurtz, an admirable and respected agent. Through his experiences we can see the racism towards the black people and how European colonizers treated them. By the actions of many characters we perceive the ivory smuggling, the ambition of power and money and the evil hidden in the jungle. Therefore it shows darkness behind inhumanity and injustice to others. How this darkness is so powerful that can destroy others and the person itself (Conrad). In both novels we see the importance of speech. Speech acts as a symbol of racism and the distance of language. In Things Fall Apart speech is very important as Achebe uses lgbo words in the novel. â€Å"By incorporating Igbo words, rhythms, language and concepts into an English text about his culture, Achebe goes a long way to bridge a cultural divide† (â€Å"Language†). This shows the complexity of the African culture and the misunderstanding between cultures. In this case being the lgbo culture and the ones of the colonists. Therefore Achebe’s incorporation of Igbo words makes his novel even more realistic because it gives the Africans a voice. It also allows the reader to learn more about its culture by understanding the meaning of these words. We also see how organized and specific the dialect is relying on the rules to address to people. These words don’t make the reading harder but rather they make it more interesting basing on its context and how they are used. Also these words are crucial for the novel because if they are translated to English they might lose their concept. â€Å"To provide an authentic feel for lgbo culture would be impossible without also allowing proverbs to play a significant role in the novel† (â€Å"Language†). We can see how oral is important for the culture as there is plenty communication. In lgbo tribes messages are carried orally; stories, songs and tales told from families and basically the whole culture relies on oral tradition, never losing the uniqueness of their dialect. It also proves how this culture is much more complex than it seems as there are many different languages within the 9 villages. It shows how two cultures come together as the novel being written in English but never losing the lgbo words. This also represents how certain aspects of cultures are never going to be understood because they are too complex for each other. Achebe plays with words carefully and allows readers to feel part in the story as these words play an importance in the emotions of the reader. â€Å"Achebe’s introduction of new forms and language into a traditional (Western) narrative structure to communicate unique African experiences forever changed the definition of world literature† (â€Å"Language†). In contrast, in the novella Heart of Darkness speech is represented as silent. Silence marks the distance between the white colonizers and the African. Conrad is not giving speech to the Africans but rather marking the big space of the misunderstanding of cultures. â€Å"Here, the human is perceived to have no language, only a physical space and the surrounding nature support this with the muting darkness and unknowing silence along the riverbanks† (Lerch). This is a major issue because without speaking there is no understanding or knowledge. Language allows people to learn from each other, communication is fundamental. This boundary leads to know people only by their physical in the case of the natives, one of the major causes of stereotypes and racism. â€Å"Speech suddenly proved inadequate for Conrad’s purpose of letting the European glimpse the unspeakable carving in their hearts† (Achebe). This acts as a symbol of power and superiority from part of the colonizers that can speak and hold the control. Natives are not given voice, opinion or the right to express themselves. The crash of cultures brings conflicts to the both sides as any of them know each other’s language. There is a constant absent of noise and only the sound of darkness fills it up. Even though speech is silent in the natives, it plays an important and effective role in the story and characters in the novella. From the beginning the history is told from Marlow’s stories and experiences that he’s telling to the other members of the Nellie. â€Å"In western society, silence is something to be filled. â€Å"Language is a euphemism, a saving life for all the Europeans† (Lerch). Marlow’s communication forms part of the Chinese box technique that is the story inside another story. His expressions, detailed descriptions, images and emotions transport us to the past, to the heart of darkness. Speech according to characters is seen in various ways, from much too little speak. This represents the personal importance of speech for each character and how it varies depending on the personality and interest of the character. For example speech in Kurtz is represented as insanity because of the lack of understanding and isolating from society (â€Å"Heartâ€Å"). However it is positively as it is the link Kurtz has with the natives that is what brings him closer to them and therefore being recognized as the leader of the jungle. In addition, this two novels use speech as a crucial and important aspect but they represent different things. As Eric Parslow said, race is a lazy minds tool for identifying culture. In both novels racism is a theme that stands out. Racism is portrayed differently and is used to explain main issues found in both novels. Many critics talk about if in the novel Things Fall Apart there is racism or not. I personally think racism is not found in this novel but rather is misunderstood as Chinua Achebe is criticizing humanity and the inhuman actions done by colonizers to tribes of Africa. The Igbo culture in his novel is shown to the reader before colonization occurs. This helps the reader to have a better understanding on the effect of colonization and how it can tear cultures apart, by pieces. By the arrival of white colonizers in town we see how Achebe wants to point the Europeans desire of ambition, conquest, violence and racism towards the African cultures. Societies are torn apart and colonizers think they have the power to erase their culture foundation and implement theirs. â€Å"The westerners tool the foundations of the indigenous people’s society and ways of living and left them with nothing. They also began â€Å"reformation of the native’s minds, by assigning the mark of the negative to everything African and the positive to everything European† (â€Å"Things†). Achebe’s novel is in fact a write back to Conrad as the racism and cruelty he found on the novel. Achebe wants the reader to see the other perspective from the side of the natives. Therefore, he is showing things as they were and those descriptions and actions might be perceived as racist. There is a quote in the book that says: The white man is stupid, he is fit to be a slave† (Ward). This quote is racist however you can’t say the whole novel is racist because of one quote. In order for a novel to be racist, the whole book needs to reflect this. In contrast Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness is still being much critiqued as Africa is portrayed as a primitive place where much racism and violence is held towards the natives (â€Å"Things†). This novel portrays the other side of the story, the perspective from Marlow, a white European. By this we can see how Africa is seen as a different world where the natives are uncivilized and lack intelligence. â€Å"We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there you could look at a thing monstrous and free† (Achebe). Conrad through the character Marlow uses words as black, monsters, uncivilized to refer to the natives. Although Conrad’s descriptions, imagery, metaphors and similes are very powerful and descriptive some are racist against the natives. The arrival of the Europeans show the power they have and how they believe they can claim for resources and the land that is not there’s. As said before, silence endures in the novella as natives have no speech symbolizing the misunderstanding of cultures. â€Å"The outcome is seen in western author’s postcolonial literature by deceptions of unknown groups of people as savages or primitive. When in reality the author has no understanding of the group of people being presented† (â€Å"Things†). As said before natives of Africa in Conrad’s novella are portrayed as uncivilized people, being this an irony. The colonizers are not civilized because of the horrible and racist actions they perform. Due to the complexity of the space they are surrounded they lose their morals. The jungle is a character due to its power to change people. This is also the reason why the colonizers changed and became the uncivilized ones because of their ambition for power. Therefore, Conrad’s novella can be considered as racist but it is very important to remember that the story is told from the other side. As Bob Dylan said â€Å"Dont criticize what you cant understand.† Both of these novels are important for literature in the world. Each one has different objectives and messages. Differences relies on the context and perspective they are being told. Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness deal with the big theme of colonization. What’s interesting about them is that we can see both sides of the story and by this form our criteria. I believe it is very important to see the two faces of an issue in order to understand it. However, I consider that you can fully understand something if you have lived it. A person will always have his opinion towards something but will never truly understand it. To criticize a book, that person must have been part of the story and the context that is being told. Therefore we can’t say Heart of Darkness or Things Fall Apart is racist if we have not experienced colonization in that context. Both authors are showing readers the perspective from which is being told, so that the reader can have both sides of the story and form their criteria about the complex theme of colonization on the tribes of Africa. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness' Massachusetts Review. 18. 1977. Rpt. in Heart of Darkness, An Authoritative Text, background and Sources Criticism. 1961. 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough, London: W. W Norton and Co., 1988, pp.251-261 Comparing Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness. 123HelpMe.com. 20 Oct 2012 http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=11427. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. The Norton Anthology: English Literature. General Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 8th Ed. New York: Norton, 2006. 1891-1947. Heart of Darkness Theme of Language and Communication. Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://www.shmoop.com/heart-of-darkness/language-communication-theme.html. LaRocque, Emma. Racism and Colonization. Aboriginal Perspectives. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. http://www3.nfb.ca/enclasse/doclens/visau/index.php?mode=theme.

The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine Essay -- H.G. Wells Time Mac

The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine H.G Wells was born in Bromley Kent on the 21st September 1866. He had attended school called Midhurst Grammar in 1883, soon after he had gone to the normal school of science in London. There he had learned biology, which could lead to why he had written science fiction novels. He had left the school without the qualifications to become a writer. He began his career as a writer in 1893 and then continued to create stories, such as the Time Machine. H.G Wells had studied the fourth dimension as he felt very strongly about this issue. The fourth dimension was about moving back and fourth in time. H.G wells had tried to create his own time machine. He had stated â€Å"anyone enters the fourth dimension must have extension†. Another way of looking at the fourth dimension is just looking at time. H.G Wells was always looking into the future and had come across many theories which he had expanded on. H.G Wells was attracted to the future. He thought there should be a division, doom and salvation. He had predicted the 20th century precisely; that the streets would be overflowing, a new deadlier weapon of mass destruction would exist and the creation of bigger buildings. H.G Wells had hated the difference between the rich and the poor as he felt that this gap between them was growing. In his childhood H.G Wells was classed as being part of the poorer community, because his mum and dad were both domestic servants. In the Victorian days domestic servants was looked down upon. He strongly disagreed with the Victorian society that he joined in political parties against them. As he aged he became part of the upper class community. From his experiences of both divisions... ...ich is why they didn’t want to learn the English language. The time traveller found this difficult to overcome because in the Victorian times they was accomplishing and trying to discover more. The time traveller then continues travelling into the future, and he could see the earth ending because of the effects of global warming. The global warming had not even been discovered in the Victorian times and yet H.G Wells was thinking forward once again. The time traveller then returns home he won’t sit down to dinner with his friends until he has had a wash because in the Victorian times this is what they considered to be in a lower class, not being clean. Throughout this essay I have explored the humanity in the time machine and have related it to the social and historical influences that would have affected H.G Wells at the time it was written. The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine Essay -- H.G. Wells Time Mac The Theme of Humanity in the Time Machine H.G Wells was born in Bromley Kent on the 21st September 1866. He had attended school called Midhurst Grammar in 1883, soon after he had gone to the normal school of science in London. There he had learned biology, which could lead to why he had written science fiction novels. He had left the school without the qualifications to become a writer. He began his career as a writer in 1893 and then continued to create stories, such as the Time Machine. H.G Wells had studied the fourth dimension as he felt very strongly about this issue. The fourth dimension was about moving back and fourth in time. H.G wells had tried to create his own time machine. He had stated â€Å"anyone enters the fourth dimension must have extension†. Another way of looking at the fourth dimension is just looking at time. H.G Wells was always looking into the future and had come across many theories which he had expanded on. H.G Wells was attracted to the future. He thought there should be a division, doom and salvation. He had predicted the 20th century precisely; that the streets would be overflowing, a new deadlier weapon of mass destruction would exist and the creation of bigger buildings. H.G Wells had hated the difference between the rich and the poor as he felt that this gap between them was growing. In his childhood H.G Wells was classed as being part of the poorer community, because his mum and dad were both domestic servants. In the Victorian days domestic servants was looked down upon. He strongly disagreed with the Victorian society that he joined in political parties against them. As he aged he became part of the upper class community. From his experiences of both divisions... ...ich is why they didn’t want to learn the English language. The time traveller found this difficult to overcome because in the Victorian times they was accomplishing and trying to discover more. The time traveller then continues travelling into the future, and he could see the earth ending because of the effects of global warming. The global warming had not even been discovered in the Victorian times and yet H.G Wells was thinking forward once again. The time traveller then returns home he won’t sit down to dinner with his friends until he has had a wash because in the Victorian times this is what they considered to be in a lower class, not being clean. Throughout this essay I have explored the humanity in the time machine and have related it to the social and historical influences that would have affected H.G Wells at the time it was written.

Inhumanity of War Essay

In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, one follows the life of Paul Baumer, a private in the German military in World War 1. He and his friends try to survive as the people around them get slaughtered. Slowly one by one his friends die while the others fight for their own lives. This is a war with many inhumane actions that lead to unnecessary death or injury. In the story many inhumane actions spark guilt within a character, causing a humane action to be done in response. The slow inhumane death of Kemmerich, Paul’s best friend, lead him to lie to Kemmerich’s mom about his death due to the guilt he would feel for her reaction and sadness. Kemmerich’s death was slow and painful. It involved getting his leg amputated, â€Å"‘He has a flesh wound in his thigh; a good blighty†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Kemmerich raises himself off the pillow with his elbow, ‘They’ve amputated my leg (6, 27).’† He had been shot and had his leg amputated when it wasn’t his war to fight. He should not have had to suffer with the hundreds of other innocent lives. The leaders of the countries should be fighting their argument out themselves; not put thousands of men’s lives at risk. Kemmerich should not have to die for something he didn’t start. Also what was meant to save him killed him. He died in the hospital, not on the front. He died in the place where he should be mended, not killed. When Paul goes home on leave he visits Kemmerich’s mom to give details of how he had died so she could have some closure and know he went with dignity: â€Å"I tell her he was shot through the heart and died instantaneously†¦I will never tell her, she can make mincemeat out of me first (180-181).† If Paul had told her the truth he would feel exceptionally guilty because Kemmerich is his best friend, and Paul was not there when Kemmerich was shot. He also could not tell his mom that he died in the hospital because he should have been saved there, and then she would know how close her son was to being saved and being able to spend time with her. Also she would know that Kemmerich had not died in battle, but died slowly behind the front in a hospital because of infection not by a bullet, which is not how one would like to picture their son dying in war. She would know that he suffered before he died. The inhumane injury of the horses, and everyone just listening to them suffer caused Detering to go mad with guilt for the horses and try to put them out of their misery. There had just been a battle and many of the horses had been injured: â€Å"It’s unendurable. It is the moaning of the world, it is the martyred creation, wild with anguish, filled with terror and groaning†¦ We are pale. Detering stands up, ‘For gods sake shoot them†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘They must take care of the men first’† (62-63). The soldiers are ignoring the soldier’s cries and Detering wants to kill the horses. The horses don’t even realize what they’re involved in. They can’t even speak German. As the soldiers are fighting a battle they are not responsible for; at least they have an idea what it is all about. The horses do not. They don’t even know what they’re meant to be doing, or what is happening to them. They do not deserve to be in the war, or to die for its cause, so when they’re injured without any hope of survival, no one will put them out of their misery. It’s barbaric. He gets his rifle, but is batted down. He feels as if he has failed because he could not save or kill the horses. All he can do is watch them suffer. It tears him apart because it is not his nature. Detering is a farmer and cares more for animals than he does people, so to sit and listen to these cries drives him crazy, for he loves them so much. Why can’t a soldier near them hand off the man they are caring for for a second, so they can kill the horses and put them out of their misery. It’s incredibly simple and much more humane than listening to them suffer as they trip over their intestines. Detering is the humane person for at least trying to kill them and for considering them for a second, whilst everyone else is being extremely selfish. The inhumane torture used to dissuade the Germans for using the saw-bayonets led to the humane reaction of Paul and his company not using them, and giving people that had them regular bayonets. They stopped using them for the guilt they would feel if a young clueless man was to be tortured for something he didn’t even know about. The Germans had just moved forward when found out why Germans were being brutally tortured: â€Å"If the fellows over there catch a man with one of those he’s killed at sight†¦ some of our men were found whose noses were cut off and their eyes poked out with their own saw-bayonets. Their mouths and noses were stuffed with sawdust so that they suffocated† (103). The French tortured these men because they were using the German saw blade-bayonet, which hacked apart the French brutally. The French only tortured them because they were using these bayonets inhumanely. The Germans however were just following orders. They did not have the choice of which bayonets they were using. They were being tortured for something that was above them. They did not know how the use of the bayonets would affect the French. The French tortured the wrong people. When Paul sees other recruits he quickly gets to them and takes their bayonets away: â€Å"Some of the recruits have bayonets of this sort; we take them away and give them the ordinary kind (104).† They do this because they know the recruits don’t know any better and, they do not deserve to be tortured so brutally. Also, the bayonets aren’t very useful anymore. They get stuck in people. Paul knows that if he didn’t switch the recruits’ bayonets for the regular one he would be torturing them himself. When he would hear of their torture he would know it was his fault and he knew he could have stopped it if he took the time. So he switched them to avoid the extreme guilt he would feel for sending a man to a torturous death, and devastating a young man’s family. He was saving these men’s lives without being asked. He was going out of his way and against orders to make sure these men would not be tortured. In the story humane actions are sparked from guilt in response to inhumane actions having to do with Kemmerich’s death, Injury of the Horses, and the torture of the Germans. This is very similar if an animal is abused it sometimes is killed after being rescued. They do this for the animal’s own good. If they let him live he may not trust anyone and harm others. Then he would be put down anyway. Also, he is hurt or injured he will not trust a veterinarian to help him so is just put out of his misery before trying. If there is no chance for something to live or an animal to survive with society or in the wild, it should just be put down to stop the creature from going through the stress it would go through for it will most likely suffer or get killed anyway.

Higher Education And Racial Disparities - 1133 Words

Jack Rhea Mike Markes Jim Scheidhauer LSP 120 8 March 2015 Higher Education and Racial Disparities in United States Racial disparity has been a hot topic lately in America. After the election of President Barack Obama, some have dubbed the United States a â€Å"Post-Racial† America. While some Americans believe that race is no longer an issue, the numbers show that the idea of a post-racial America is a myth. It is understood that in order to prosper in America, an education is essential to success. But the racial disparity permeates even the education system. The color line divides us still. In recent years, the most visible evidence of this in the public policy arena has been the persistent attack on affirmative action in higher education and employment. Racial minorities, particularly Blacks and Hispanics, appear to be prospering more in America, that is to say they are enrolling in college and earning more money than in past years. 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