Compare the disparate nature of colonial and post colonial societies in "Heart of Darkness" and Coetzee's "Disgrace".

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Diggers Rogers

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26/01/2012

F662 Coursework: linked texts

‘The disparate nature of colonial and post-colonial societies exposes and exacerbates both gender and racial prejudice.’ Compare how far and in what ways this is true of the societies depicted in Conrad’s and Coetzee’s texts.’

The two books were written almost 100 years apart, with JM Coetzee’s award winning Disgrace at the end of the 20th century in 1999 and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1902. Despite this temporal difference, they both clearly highlight the disparate nature of colonial and post colonial societies. Indeed a similar level of racial and gender related prejudice is apparent; and they are both equally prevalent and equally interlinked. It will be demonstrated that Heart of Darkness and Disgrace share a remarkably similar overriding message: discrimination in early 20th century Belgian Congo and late 20th century, post-apartheid South Africa are hotbeds of prejudice. However, in order to demonstrate this prejudice both authors employ contrasting techniques, in terms of form and structure and narrative method. With Conrad, he unsurprisingly uses the typically modernist device of an unreliable narrator. Charlie Marlow, who epitomises the views and beliefs of a white middle-aged European, involved in imperial activities, is shown to be deeply unreliable in terms of his not understanding both women and ‘natives’ – hence his admitting to not knowing his story on at least fifteen occasions in the book. In addition, Conrad further emphasizes Marlow’s lack of understanding through the use of the framed narrative which puts even more distance between Marlow and the women and ‘natives’ he encounters. Coetzee aims to highlight in much the same way the lack of understanding his white middle-aged male protagonist has in terms of women and ‘natives’ in the (post–) colonial society he live in. The techniques Coetzee uses to achieve are very different to Conrad’s as he is not a modernist writer struggling with the uncertainty of the intellectual and aesthetic revolutions of the 19th century. Instead his work is influenced by post-colonial theorise from the likes of Edward Said, and the post-structuralist theories emphasizing the fallibility of language. The result is a focalized account through Lurie’s consciousness the effect of which ironically highlights both his but also the typical white male views which he symbolizes in terms of the racial and gender prejudice he displays. In addition  to this events which  are frequently motivated by discrimination are told on the present tense and therefore have a greater impact on the reader

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        In heart of darkness, Conrad expresses his ideas of the place of women in today’s society, generally he expresses a tone that looks down on women and shows prejudice to them. ‘It’s queers how out of touch women are. They live in a world of their own [which is] too beautiful altogether, and if they were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset.’(18) This quote is showing that Conrad finds the fact that women are extremely out of touch and it’s funny to him. Rob Worrall sees the fact that Lurie naming the women as ...

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