Part III Regarding KURTZ

[mmurai]

Kurtz is able to represent all Europeans because of his mixed descent and the fact that he is the symbol for imperialism. kUrt represents the efforts of European countries in trying to reap as much raw material from Africa as they can at any cost. Kurtz madness represents the effects that the cruelty and events that go on in the Congo can have on a man which is why they remain hidden from the public. His death is symbolic of how the europeans plan for colonization are successful and will eventually fail without much accomplishments. Two contradictions that Conrad includes are that the european's come to Africa civilized but through what they experience become savages and the fact that they were supposed to bring light to the darkness but in reality are bringing darkness to light.

[tchoe]

Kurtz represents the Europeans and the horrors that they brought with them through imperialism. Conrad creates contradiction by showing how the Europeans view imperialism versus what imperialism actually does tot he people in Africa. Many of the Europeans living in Europe are oblivious and ignorant of the real horrors in Africa and believe that they are bringing light into the uncivilized wilderness of the Congo. When Marlow visit Africa he is able to preview firsthand what imperialism really means and how horrible and scary it is. The Europeans are doing more harm that good to the natives.

[KLyle]

The dynamic of Kurtz is one that is very interesting and has to be tuned into to get a solid grasp of. Kurtz is half English and half French in the novel, in my belief to completely embody the nature of all of Europe at the time. I believe the point Marlow is trying to get across is that the Europeans of the time were of the most part working behind the curtain. Very few people could tell what Kurtz was actually doing in Africa, and the role he played throughout the novel was mysterious for the most of it. The self-contradictory side is that he loved Africa so much and lost himself in Africa even though it was theoretically a place of savages.

[MartySparty]

Kurtz represents the European attitudes in that he only cares about ivory and money. He doesn't really care about the natives that are endangered in his wake and he goes farther and farther into native territory to find more money and he has the false claim of being there to "civilize them" to back up his actions. He also had a lust for power which is why he almost like a demigod to the natives. His greed didn't stop him from going for the money until he died even after being nursed out of 2 other tough illnesses. He contradicts the colonizing efforts in that he was able to make a bond with the natives who loved him and respected him to a really high extent which wasn't really customary in the colonizing efforts. People would expect natives to fight back with all they got to reclaim their territory, but they just went with the flow.

[bhong3211]

Kurtz is depicted as a man who gets things done efficiently and quickly. He is known for being a great colonist and imperialist by exploring and collecting a lot of materials such as ivory. However, in reality, this greed for materials makes Kurtz lustful for materials and it makes him treat the natives inhumanely. His attitude represents Europe as a whole and Conrad shows that greed often leads to inhumane actions. Conrad is trying to display that greed is a common theme in humanity.

[Amin Taherabadi]

As a leader of the European colonization, Kurtz is a very greedy person as a result of his excessive search and greed for ivory. The whole journey into the heart of darkness of Africa is a learning curve for Kurtz, the mysterious man who dies with pride. On page 43, Conrad suggests "his was an impenetrable darkness." He depicts that mr.Kurtz is a corrupted man that nobody could understand. Conrad demonstrates the complexity of mr.Kurtz by showing his greatness as well as cruelty and corruption.

[Emily Schwartz]

Kurtz is an extremely powerful human. He is powerful because he is a master manipulator. This, in Western Civilizations, is a very strong trait because of how one in power can affect others by a touch of a hand. Kurtz uses fear to get what he wants and to instill his overbearing knowledge and control. He used his sociopathic ways to gain control over the Natives, he tortured them and then did good deeds to make them want to please Kurtz in return. He likes to make himself feel like people are reliant and dependent on him. Western Civilizations are savages and they need a ruler, corrupt or not. Kurtz fills this position perfectly.

[Katie Craig]

Kurtz represents European attitudes and colonizing efforts because he is greedy and power hungry. Kurtz started out like any other European on the ivory trade, successful, devoted to the cause, and determined. After he quickly became the most successful ivory gatherer he understood what kind of power he could achieve. He was able to colonize in the wild and spread his own thoughts and ideas among the natives creating his own culture. By Kurtz being his own leader and taking over a place of his own he resembles the European attitudes because that is their intentions for all of Africa. The Europeans disagree with Kurtz because he has his own ideas and beliefs and they think he is mad for revolting against Europe which is ironic because they are still the ones taking over another country in the first place.

[Skylarcrenshaw]

Kurtz sees himself as an all knowing God. He has convinced the locals that he is, and uses this for his reign of terror. He believes that the European way is the best way and that he must “civilize” the locals. This is ironic because as he tries to civilize them he is acting very brutal and uncivilized. He is also referred to by Marlow as the Devil of Greed, while he sees himself as the God of giving. For centuries european nations have forced their beliefs and ways on other countries, as Kurtz is doing to the locals

[megashark]

Kurtz represents the European attitudes and their efforts to colonize entirely. Kurtz basically creates his own separate colony in the inner station and therefor is himself, ideologically a European country. He has his own tribe, conquers other tribes, spreads his own ideals and beliefs, and has extreme economic prosperity; these are all aspects of a colonizing European country at the time. His extreme greed and desire for power are what led to him climbing the ranks of his company and setting up his ivory empire, however that same greed starts to drive him mad as he starts to develop feelings for the natives in his tribe and this is the self-contradictory aspect that Conrad stresses.