Bloody Racist

I can see how Achebe would call Conrad a "bloody racist" because he is very derogative in his depiction of the black folk, but I can also see how he is just possibly misunderstood and is really not a "bloody racist" at all, and instead is just a man who grew up in a time when they only expressed the views of what they were taught and maybe even perhaps, was just scared and intimidated and therefore came across in a way that might not have even been meant to been portrayed.

Conrad wastes no time and from the very beginning of the story, describes the black men as, "They were dying slowly--it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now--nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish-gloom." (2) This, just like the entire story, can been taken in either respect of bloody or not, however one thing that is for certain is that he is most certainly racist. Whether you want to think of him as an evil, bloody man is entirely opinion, but for him to speak about the black people so insignifacantly like his description just mentioned, I don't believe anyone could argue the point that he is a racist. "Black shadows of disease", is pretty demeaning even if that is in fact what they were. Yes, they were black, and yes, they were dying, but he could of simply also said something to the effect of, "The natives, resting up against the tree, looked bewildered and very sickly from kack of nutrition."

Conrad also describes a white man in the beginning of the story. He says, "I met a white man, in such an unexpected elegance of getup that in the first moment I took him for sort of a vision. I saw a high starched collar, white cuffs, a light alpaca jacket, snowy trousers, a clean necktie, and
varnished boots. No hat. Hair parted, brushed, oiled, under a green-lined parasol held in a big white hand. He was amazing." (3) I truly believe that with this description alone in comparison to the description of the "black shadows of disease" it goes to prove further how much of a racist he actually was. He says, the white man is "amazing". Tell me how you really feel compared to the "bony long black arms". He seems to find utter peace and solace in this wonderful white man, a complete and polar opposite from what the reader feels when he is describing the blacks.

One might then really consider if he indeed is a bloody racist, because it almost seems as if he is glad that the blacks are suffering, almost as if he is glad that they are dying. It makes him a bloody racist because he is guilty for their death, just because of the simple fact that you are guilty for what you sometimes wish for.