Part III Regarding BELIEFS/ILLUSION

[Ethan Hanson]

Conrad does set up two realties throughout the story. One example would be the "civilized" whites, they are well mannered and have knowledge and technology, Kurtz could be viewed this way in the beginning of the novel. However, the second type of reality is the natives and the Europeans, the natives act like "savages" they are wild and have no sense of law and order, they are fierce and violent. However the Europeans and the natives have different views on reality. The natives are not used to the European culture/reality, however throughout the novel we are to determine if the Europeans are more brutal violent and cruel or possibly more "savage" than the natives.

[MorganDuss]

I think the two kinds of reality that Conrad is setting up in the novel is the reality of whites, and the reality of the natives. the reality of whites seems to be portrayed as primarily civilized and imperialistic. Whereas the reality of the natives seems to be described as cannibalistic and savage-like. The whites Western culture had a huge impact of greed on the natives and eventually seem to act more like the natives.

[annap]

Conrad sets up the reality that the white Europeans are civilized and the African natives are savages. The Europeans dress properly and are the superior race over the dirty natives. The two qualities of false reality are racist and stereotypical for the time. It is ironic however, that the "civilized" Europeans beat up the natives and treat them like animals. I believe that overall, the natives act a lot more civilized and normal than the whites because they are just attempting to carry out their normal lives. The Aftican natives are the ones being invaded. Their lives are uprooted by the Europeans and because of this, their health is plummeting. Even though Conrad attempts to set up two kinds of realities, the realities are actually the opposite.

[Natashacaravia]

conrad initiates 2 impressions of realities in the book. he twists the facts and justification to illustrate these realities. on of them is the european reality which seems to be refined and naive while the other reality shows the harsh conditions of the natives and what they undergo

[kristinyinn]

Conrad does seem to be setting up two kinds of reality, the reality of imperialism and the reality of the “Heart of Darkness” (of human nature). Throughout the book he depicts the reality of imperialism and its grotesque natures, through vivid descriptions of the treatments of Native Africans. He question the reader whether the “White Man’s Burden” is actually just. The other reality Conrad depicts is the darkness of human nature, especially seen in Kurtz who has been devoured by greed.

[Sydney Davis]

I believe that Conrad seems to be setting up two kinds of qualities of reality. On one hand there are the people who have become successful such as Kurtz, who has become wealthy in live. The whites can also take part in this as they are civilized. On the other hand there are the people who haven't become as successful, such as the Natives. They can also be seen as uncivilized.

[Collin Stark]

Conrad seems to create two kinds of reality in The Heart of Darkness using the alternative perspectives of the natives vs colonists. Conrad creates a surface reality by creating situations that force the reader to create a deeper meaning an understanding of events that occur. The difference of perspectives brings two realities, one that is cloaked in mystery and full of lies and one that is truthful and alarming, which allows Conrad to create a story that is both straight forward and full of deep meaning.

[spencercornman]

Conrad depicts Kurtz in a peculiar state and two kinds of reality. Kurtz is shown as a hero and an idol to the natives who believe he is trying to help them and is on their side in the oppression by the Europeans. In reality though, Kurtz is an evil man who is still set with the determination of obtaining maximum wealth and represents the true conventions of the Europeans. The civilized reality is different than the savage reality. Ergo, the two realities are corruption and hope.

[Patrick M]

There are two types of realities created by Conrad. On one hand the "civilized" people of Europe see themselves as helping and teaching the uneducated, godless people of the Congo. Once Marlow arrives in Africa you begin to see hints of the actual reality and these get more pronounced as the book goes on. In truth the reality seen by the people of the Congo and the whites working there is that life in Africa is brutal and often short. The whites do business by stealing from and manipulating the native population and the natives suffer for it. They are in no way being enlightened or helped.

[corinnetaylor]

I think Conrad does set up two kinds of realities in the book because we see the 'evil' Europeans who will do whatever they can to make a little money and on the other hand we see the 'savage' natives who are being invaded on and worked to death. Marlow sees the bad sides of both realities, and towards the end of the book he finally comes to the conclusion that the world might just be an evil place where no good people can live and/ or thrive.

[elle]

Yes, Conrad does seem to be setting up two kinds or qualities of reality in this story. On one side, you have the reality of the rest of the world who is not in the Congo, but still in their home countries, completely oblivious to what is really going on. Their view is that they are enlightening and helping the African people so they can live more like them, live better. Then, on the other hand, you have the actual reality, what is really going on in the Congo. The African people are being abused, tortured, and taken advantage of by the Europeans who are only down there to become richer and have a sense of power. They aren't there to help the African people, to better the African people. They are there on selfish terms, only to gain something they want, not to provide guidance and help to the Africans.

[kazhir]

Yes, Conrad sets up two kinds of reality. He does so by showing how the colonizers and Kurtz and his men live, which is in a civilized and mannerly fashion, and then he displays the Natives as savages and crazy "animals". He introduces one set of Natives who join Marlow on the journey on the river as cannibals to further support the idea of the Natives as being beastly "grotesque" animals. He shows how both sides survive, and they contrast greatly. One side works to live, and the other side lives to work.

[mmurai]

During the book Conrad is setting up two realities but is making them very ambitious so that the reader can draw their own conclusions on which is the reality they believe. The heart of darkness is describes as being the Congo in which the natives are uncivilized and must be helped by the europeans through white man's burden. However, instead of bringing the "light" that the europeans were intending to bring they through darkness through death, despair and slavery. This raises the question of whether the heart of darkness is really the Congo or England with its spread of imperialism. There is also the pessimistic and optimistic views on life which can be most easily identified with through Marlow, Kurtz and Kurtz Intended. These contradictions are intended by Conrad to allow the reader to make their own conclusion about the realities of the book.

[lrempalski]

Conrad sets up two contrasting kinds of realities in the novel, the reality of the whites and the reality of the native people. The Europeans in Africa live a reality of advanced technology and luxury. This reality is far from the reality of the native people who are described as savage and uncivilized. The natives reality is also characterized through the treatment of the natives by the Europeans. What is ironic about these two separate realities is that the Europeans are fully capable of helping the struggling native people, but they do not. There is also something to be said about how the Europeans treat the native people as savage and inhuman while the Europeans are the ones taking advantage of and dehumanizing others.

[Benkashanchi]

I do believe that Conrad attempts to establish two types of reality throughout the novel. The first reality is a false one, and could better be described as an illusion. To the Europeans, their reality is one that is based off of simplicity and ignorance. The world revolves around them; they worry about the little things like "filching a little money from each other" and are unable to realize the dangers of the world on a broader scale. They mistakenly believe they are worthy of enlightening other civilizations, but the true reality of the situation shows they are entirely incapable of doing so. This other reality that Conrad shows exemplifies the effects of greed and power and shows that other civilizations suffer at the hands of people who live in a bubble, like the Europeans, who "could not possibly know the things [that Marlow] knew."