Opposing Viewpoints of Africa in Two Short Stories...

In every situation, varying perspectives and opinions will be present, as proven in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. These literary works reveal opposing viewpoints of Africa through the use of literary and stylistic devices. The natural, primitive society is portrayed using sensory detail, imagery, and diction, which in turn reveal the authors’ different attitudes. Through his use of arrogant diction and vivid imagery, Conrad establishes a superior tone, while Achebe incorporates words with peaceful connotations into his sensory detail to create a serene tone. In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses carefully chosen words in his diction and imagery to convey a disdainful tone. Throughout the†¦show more content†¦This reveals the author’s intolerance towards the Africans, making it clear that he views the Africans from the perspective of an outsider who is unfamiliar with tribal customs. Along his journey, Conrad notices a â€Å"stillness of life† and acknowledges that in other circumstances this would have a peaceful effect (Conrad); however, due to his unfamiliar surroundings and fear of the unknown, he finds the stillness threatening and foreboding. Overall, Conrad conveys a message to the reader that Africa is uncivilized and inferior to other societies. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses sensory detail and peaceful diction to emphasize Africa as a harmonious land. Achebe incorporates sensory detail by describing the â€Å"birds chirruping in the forests† and the â€Å"sandy footway†¦ [throwing] up the heat† (Achebe). This indicates the role of nature in the setting and the importance it has in the African culture. He also uses words that carry connotations of tranquility such as â€Å"silent,† â€Å"faint,† and â€Å"faded† to add to the mood of togetherness in the passage (Achebe). Like Conrad, Achebe mentions trees that â€Å"had stood from the beginning of things, untouched by the ax and the bush-fire,† suggesting a primitive element to Africa (Achebe). In contrast to Conrad, however, this adds to the natural, tranquil feeling of Achebe’s passage.Show MoreRelated The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay3048 Words   |  13 Pagesperiod had far-reaching and detrimental affects on the language and identity of traditional societies. Derek Walcott’s postcolonial poem, â€Å"The Season of Phantasmal Peace† (1981) presented in dialogue with Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1910) and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) brings to light the powerful role that language played in executing the lie of imperialism on colonized peoples and the implications that this exertion of power has had and continues to have on the postcolonial

Binary Relation and Woman Free Essays

The movement for the emancipation of woman has gained ground all the over. In some western countries woman have more rights than in India. But still every where even In the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabilities and are regarded a social inferiors of man. We will write a custom essay sample on Binary Relation and Woman or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is a man-made society and man continues to dominate and exploit woman. There should be a better and fuller understanding of the problems peculiar to woman, to make a olution of those problems possible. As these problems centre round the basic problem of Inequality, steps should be taken to promote equality of treatment and the full Integration of woman In the total development efforts of the country. Woman should get equal pay for the same work, and she be treated as an equal partner in the task of strengthening world peace. Suitable steps should be taken to secure these ends. These are near unanimity on the urgency and signifi rise of democracy, the movement for the emancipation of oman has gained ground all the over. In some western countries woman have more rights than In India. But still every where even In the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabllltles and are regarded a social inferiors of man. It is a man-made society and man continues to dominate and exploit woman. There should be a better and fuller understanding of the problems peculiar to woman, to make a solution of those problems possible. As these problems centre round the basic problem of inequality, steps should be aken to promote equality of treatment and the full Integration of woman in the total the urgency and signifl India. But still every where even in the most advanced countries of the world, they taken to promote equality of treatment and the full integration of woman in the total rights than in India. But still every where even in the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabilities and are regarded a social inferiors of the urgency and signifi How to cite Binary Relation and Woman, Papers

The Arts Journal Critical Perspectives free essay sample

The book report is based on The Arts Journal Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Literature, History, Art, and Culture in Guyana and the Caribbean Volume 3 Numbers 1 and 2. It was published by The Arts Forum Incorporated in March of 2002 and the SINS number is 1728-7723. The copy bought is a paperback edition which cost $125 and contained 15 articles and 21 6 pages. Anne Gaffer edited it with guest editor Rite Pembroke- While the text re-examines the British Slave Trade and the manner in which its victims have been portrayed in literature, the articles reviewed focus on he theme Of the changing images Of African people.According to the Arts Forum, a review by Professor Selwyn H. H. Carting stated that these three articles including another represent images of how blacks saw themselves at different times during slavery and the post-emancipation period focusing in particular on the effect of texts, paintings, and films. The Art Journal presented these articles in honor of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the trans-Atlantic Trade in captive Africans in order to provide a fresh Caribbean perspective on the events encompassing this dark spot in our histo ry. Though each of the three articles reviewed approached it from a different slant each did so convincingly. Additionally, these articles give an in-depth analysis of aspects which may not be considered by the average person. In the first article entitled Visual Expressions of Slavery and Emancipation 1700-1834, Edith (Nancy) Jacobs posits that in the event of depicting art out of its relevant period, some historians reduce the value of it and that even now when society is supposed to be enlightened the artistic images of are not incorporated effectively to represent Caribbean history.She examines the importance of the development of a variety of printing techniques used to bombard the general with images of what they (pro-slavery and abolitionists) wanted to portray. Jacobs concentrates on three major points in the depiction of slaves textually and visually. Firstly, she looks at those paintings commissioned by European patrons that generally portrayed the Blacks as subservient helples s people, who were more like household pets. Secondly, she examines those images distributed by the abolitionists that showed the Blacks in varying states of deprivation: food, clothing and being sold at auctions. Finally, she observes the evolution of the paintings now depicting the Black man as an educated man often shown reading the bible. However, she notes that none of these truly portray the Black man and the rebellions that occur from 1 791 prove this as it contradicted the initial perspective of the Blacks as docile and helpless. Jacobs presents her argument systematically, tracing the changing perception of the Black man over the period 1700 to 1834. In particular, she addresses the relationship between the pictures depicted and the techniques of the printing devices of the time; an aspect hat the average reader may not consider.Her attention to details such as the right side of a photo being the weaker visual position upon which the Black man was inevitably placed in the later seventeenth and early eighteenth century in comparison to the opposite occurring in the late eighteenth century demonstrates her point that the media was used to influence the public. The second article by Jean Antoine-Dunne and Bruce Padding entitled Film Representations of the Abolitionist Movement, examines the responses of Caribbean filmmakers to the abolition of the slave trade and the insurgences associated with IEEE (p. 82). Their argument posits that the film industry is one of the most powerful methods of communicating ideas and that it influences peoples perception of one another and their cultures. They look at abolition from a Caribbean perspective based on five important, yet not well-known films from the British, French and Spanish territories of the Caribbean. One of the central ideas permeating through the films is the idea Of visually shocking the audience out of a false historic narrative. They posit that the five films give a more accurate representation of slavery and the resistances that surround its abolition in the Caribbean.They give enough details of the films to indicate to the reader their similarities and their differences. A general idea which permeates through them is the fact the very manner in which abolition is viewed may be colonial. This leads to the question raised at the beginning of this course; is history the truth? Or is the truth different for each party, or even each in dividual involved? Ken Cockcrows Blackened Figures is the final article reviewed. Here he discusses the work of Trinitarian painter Carlisle Harris in the twentieth century.Harris uses the human body in an abstract form to represent the self as an ever changing, ever improving figure. He makes full use of the African dancing male as a symbol of the triumphant return to humanity in a land abused by colonialism. His experience with the American Civil Rights movement leads to him being a symbol in representing the powerful forces of African history and culture in the Caribbean (101). He reiterates an idea stated by Jacobs found in the technique of Harris paintings which he uses to show to the opposite is true; blackness is associated with the corrupt and even evil .Harris paintings are also filled with motion especially dancing that truly represents the rhythm of Caribbean people. Dance is a part of everyones routine; whether one takes it as dancing to ones own tune or anothers. Considering that I am not a student of history per SE, I would say that this journal was very informative. It was not written in a such a way as to make its reading tedious and thus held my interest. I have been introduced to concepts that certainly bear contemplation, as it was not considered before. However, I would have liked to have read more about womens contribution to the movement.