Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Opposing Viewpoints of Africa in Two Short Stories...
In every situation, varying perspectives and opinions will be present, as proven in Joseph Conradââ¬â¢s Heart of Darkness and Chinua Achebeââ¬â¢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 authorsââ¬â¢ 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 theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦This reveals the authorââ¬â¢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 ââ¬Å"stillness of lifeâ⬠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 ââ¬Å"birds chirruping in the forestsâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"sandy footwayâ⬠¦ [throwing] up the heatâ⬠(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 ââ¬Å"silent,â⬠ââ¬Å"faint,â⬠and ââ¬Å"fadedâ⬠to add to the mood of togetherness in the passage (Achebe). Like Conrad, Achebe mentions trees that ââ¬Å"had stood from the beginning of things, untouched by the ax and the bush-fire,â⬠suggesting a primitive element to Africa (Achebe). In contrast to Conrad, however, this adds to the natural, tranquil feeling of Achebeââ¬â¢s passage.Show MoreRelated The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay3048 Words à |à 13 Pagesperiod had far-reaching and detrimental affects on the language and identity of traditional societies. Derek Walcottââ¬â¢s postcolonial poem, ââ¬Å"The Season of Phantasmal Peaceâ⬠(1981) presented in dialogue with Joseph Conradââ¬â¢s Heart of Darkness (1910) and Chinua Achebeââ¬â¢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
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