Write a 5 page essay analyzing Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
The topic of your essay should be a comparison between British colonialism and our contemporary world (the
US or other parts of the world): what has remained the same and what has changed since the days when it
was considered OK to invade another country/culture and drain its resources? Do we still do this today, or have
we made enough progress that you think we’re not capable of doing that again? Give evidence/support for the
point that we are, or are not better than the British Empire at that time. Do we still have racism? Do we relate
better to foreign cultures? Are other cultures more imperial than the US? Is Kurtz still possible today? (can you
give an example of a Kurtz-ian figure somewhere in the world today?)
Think of Heart of Darkness as an argument about what it means to be part of a colonizing empire. Ask yourself
if Marlow endorses colonialism and if he approves or disapproves of what he finds Kurtz is involved with in the
“heart of darkness.” First, you need to show an understanding of what colonialism is, and how it’s different from
plain imperialism (with the example of the Roman Empire). What are the most disturbing issues Marlow reveals
about British colonialism, especially when he encounters Kurtz? For each point you make, make sure you
support it with textual evidence.
You can use, in your discussion, some of the symbols that appear in the book: the river, the drums, the boat,
the jungle, etc, and how they help us understand the impact that Africa and the Congo cultures had on Marlow.
Pay special attention to Marlow’s perception of an incomprehensible and dangerous, yet strangely appealing
culture. What, in our contemporary world, appears to us as dangerous but appealing? Give specific examples
from the text and analyze the quotes that you give, and find some comparisons to our contemporary world and
how we relate to other cultures.
Structure: You need an introduction that states what argument you will make about the book vs. contemporary
society. Then, write several body paragraphs that address different aspects of the book and different points of
comparison with our current society. Give quotes from the book and compare them to specific examples of
events in today’s world (such as wars, examples of negative/positive aspects of our society, racial issues or
progress made in relation to race, etc). In your conclusion, you should put things in perspective and not bring
up any new points.
Sample Solution