Prompt 3 Response, Contrasting Places:

Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Conrad compares England to the heart of Africa to symbolize his opinions on issues such as white supremacy, imperialism, and racism. Through the sailor Marlow's narration, Conrad's disapproval of imperialism, white supremacy, and racism is clearly presented.

England and the majority of Europe is supposed to be the sophisticated place to be, and this opinion of England is shown in the beginning of Heart of Darkness. The people are all happy and carefree, and aren't troubled by the issues of abroad. However, when Marlow returns of his trip to the Congo and narrates his story to his companions, he speaks of Europe with evident distaste in his tone. He sees the people as small minded and undeserving of what they receive. They have no passion and, for the most part, are as shallow as a puddle. Europe represents the inappropriate head of the hierarchy. Even Europeans who work in the Congo, such as the station masters, are seen as cruel and undeserving of their power. Conrad very clearly denounces the idea that white Europeans are better than others and therefore must conquer the world.

The heart of Africa is seen as a dark yet passionate place, full of mystery and suspense. Unlike Europe which has little depth and has a clear message of right and wrong, or rather white or wrong, the Congo is a labyrinth of grey morals and no clarity. The natives are portrayed as people, and Heart of Darkness was one of the first of its time to portray a different race as having human feelings. The natives had desires, passions, thoughts, and purpose. It is in Africa where what is seen as right in Europe is seen as cruel and unjust such as white supremacy. Marlow and therefore Conrad has a distinct tone of sympathy towards Africa, which was uncommon in Europe at the time.

By contrasting Africa to Europe, Joseph Conrad was able to bring more depth to his opinions on the popular ideas of the time such as, as mentioned before, white supremacy, racism, and imperialism. By showing the human nature that could be found in Africa, the passion and reason that existed there, he showed the insanity of Europe attempting to conquer it. He displayed it as a place with people rather than a place with resources as was the common opinion and by doing this further represented his ideas.