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  • Essay / A Reflection on “Heart of Darkness” and Its Main Themes

    The following essay is my reflection on “Heart of Darkness,” a novel by Joseph Conrad. I found this book really fun because the author introduces many themes such as the mystery of a new territory (the oriental world) and the emotion of an adventurous journey. One of the many points that I found extremely interesting is that "Heart of Darkness" is based on the author's personal experience. In 1890, the writer had the opportunity to travel to the Congo and was deeply inspired by it. The author was inspired to write this novel by this trip, which immediately established itself as one of his greatest successes and one of the major novels of English literature. The exploration of an unknown land transforms into a reflection on the destiny of man and nature. The book is based on a series of ideas and reflections that touch every aspect of human life. The author's skill lies in his unique ability to correctly deal with deep and complex topics that are not at all obvious. Moreover, in 2001, director Francis Ford Coppola was inspired by this historical novel for his successful film “Apocalypse Now”. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayThe novel begins with the description of the story of the sailor Marlow who describes his adventure on the Congo River. Marlow is one of the main characters in the book. The sailor has always dreamed of exploring territories unexplored by humans. To make his dream come true, he found work in a company interested in business linked to the plundering of ivory, a highly sought-after material in Europe at the end of the 19th century. During this journey, Marlow gradually descends into the dark horror of Western colonialism expressed in the white man's acts of violence and intimidation against the local indigenous populations. Marlow was deeply disappointed by the wickedness of the European peoples who enslaved black people and exploited their territory to become richer and richer. I found it extremely interesting because the author focuses his attention on the relationship between Africa and the colonizers. Africa has always been the preferred destination for colonial empires, always attracted by the immensity of the continent. “'The conquest of the earth, which mostly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or a slightly flatter nose than us, is not a beautiful thing when you look too closely.''Heart of Darkness' definitely takes us to the heart of Africa during the era of colonization Therefore, one of the key themes of this book undoubtedly represents the theme of colonialism We know very well that the main reason why the Europeans. went to Africa was usually for economic reasons However, they hid everything under the guise of wanting to help the local population through civilization, trying to help the people of the region lead a more satisfying life than them. Conrad accuses not only Belgium of being a direct colonizer of the Congo, but also other European countries such as England, France and Germany. This is demonstrated by the fact that the characters in the story belong to different countries. European nations. From my personal point of view, it would be hypocritical to deny that we have lived and still live in a society that continues to think primarily about power and economic interests. Throughout the history of humanity, the problem of colonialism has been very important, from the beginning, in all its forms and in all the states in which it has been historically imposed, it has manifested a mass of horrors , atrocities, widespread corruption, bloodshed and,.