Heart of darkness provides us with a definitive guide on what it means to be a civilised human being. Discuss this statement with close reference to the novel.

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        Heart of darkness provides us with a definitive guide on what

        It means to be a civilised human being. Discuss this statement

                        With close reference to the novel.

        Heart of darkness provides us with a plan as to what civilisation is giving information on a selection of subjects including the main themes colonialism and imperialism. To be civilised does not mean you wear smart clothes or have a respectable lifestyle is the main point introduced by this book.

        Civilisation and the white man are commonly connected as which man is thought upon as ‘civilised’. Civilisation to a white man introduces the idea of clean clothes, shoes, speaking the queens English, owning a well kept house with a respectable family. But Conrad shows us this doesn’t mean that a person is civilised. Kurtz began as a normal civilised person but then becomes a dictator, a controller of hundreds of natives. Conrad portrays the characters that he believes to be civilised in a way that the reader classes them and believes they can do no wrong.

        The savages are described as having no shoes they are thought upon as sub-humans and are subject to extremely racist attacks ‘nigger’ as they are different ‘negro’ words that should never be used by civilised beings. However the behaviour of the savages seem to be a lot more moral and civilised that the white man. A ‘negro’ of middle age is shot through the head because a white man became fed up of him. Another is beaten so badly that he is left to die slowly and painfully. Conrad uses incidents such as this to show the reader what a ‘civilised’ person is capable of.

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Marlow sees the result of what has been done and is disgusted. Marlow’s opinions of civilisation are changed throughout the novel. When Marlow find out what Kurtz has done he is very much against him and believes he is not civilised but the end  of the novel, when the darkness of Kurtz’s mind and heart is truly shown. Marlow protects Kurtz and lies about what he has done to his fiancé as he is so disgusted about Kurtz he cannot face to tell her what he has done for fear of breaking her heart.

Marlow believes anyone that can cause ...

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