Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is very clearly critical of imperialism. This is abundantly evident from the first pages, to the last, and everywhere in between. Marlow begins the journey naive like the rest of Europe of his day, but is shocked by the horrors of colonialism. Conrad gives the reader a very negative view of imperialism through the setting and the actions of his characters. However, he is not entirely sympathetic to the African people, as he tends to dehumanize them throughout the story. it's not a good thing when you look at it too much.” (page 7). This quote gives readers a first glimpse of Marlow's views on the topic of imperialism, but it also foreshadows the terror to come in his tale of the Congo. The first part of the quote is a harsh criticism of imperialism that condemns the racism behind this act. The second criticizes the naivety of the majority of Europeans, who blindly support the Empire...
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