Racist "Heart"

After reading the excerpt from Heart of Darkness, I am not completely sure that I agree with Achebe assertion that Conrad was a thoroughgoing racist. Yes, the obsession with the term nigger is overly used as is the repetitive descriptive words (black legs, black arms, black bones, etc.). Yes, Conrad demoralizes the African natives, belittles them, makes them unimportant. Yet, this is a book of fiction, not history. I believe that the terminology and conception of the subject he was writing was accepted at the time he was writing it. Remember how history and cultural positions were an important factor in the Marxist writings. Of course, now both Heart of Darkness and The German Ideology are entirely outdated, but are still well read, as is Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, etc. These pieces have become part of literary history.

I can see how many, if not all, people would agree that Conrad is a bloody racist. I was disturbed by his use of the term nigger and his debasement of an entire people, their culture and home. " "And between whiles I had to look after the savage who was fireman. He was an improved specimen; he could fire up a vertical boiler. He was there below me and, upon my word, to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat walking on his hind legs. " It seemed as though Conrad thought the Africans were not as human as he, but animals to be trained to do work for the white men (Europeans) as they saw fit. Or you could look at it as after educating the Africans in a specific trade, their role becomes an important part of business in the world.

I liked Conrad's style of writing, even though the subject was unattractive to me. I was uncomfortable reading it, as though I were doing something bad because of the racist tones in the piece. I was back and forth on whether I believe Conrad was a racist or not. I don't think I'll ever truly determine that.