Contrasting Conflict in Things Fall Apart and Heart of ... - Omdix.com

Contrasting Conflict in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad an d Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe are two novels that are written to make a statement. Both are meant to stir the emotions of the reader, whether those emotions be anger, hope, frustration, joy, d espair, or enlightenment. Both novels take place in the same location and same time period and invol ve the same groups of people. Both novels depict European imperialism in the African Congo in the 1800s. The obvious distinction between the two is that Heart of Darkness tells a tale from the Euro pean point of view while Things Fall Apart tells one from the Native African Tribe point of view. B oth authors use extremely well developed characters to manifest and exhibit controversies and bring to light critical aspects of human nature and propensity. Both authors use conflict of various type s to ascertain an overall theme. Although the novels use similar settings in the expression of thei r ideas, the underlying themes Conrad and Achebe choose to focus on are very different. Chiefly, th e ultimate conflict in Heart of Darkness is one of Man vs. Himself, while the ultimate conflict in T hings Fall Apart is one of Man vs. Man. To begin, both Conrad and Achebe wish to make statements on the negative consequences of Imperialism with their novels, but choose to emphasize completely unrel ated and extremely different issues. In Heart of Darkness, the conflict has to do with the destruct ive consequences of the self-discovery and internal turmoil that goes with segregation from society in an untamed, ruthless, savage place such as the African Congo. Years of life in the jungle drove the brilliant Kurtz to near insanity: "the wilderness had found him out early, and had taken on him a terrible vengeance for the fantastic invasion. I think it had whispered things to him about hims elf which he did not know, things of which he had no conception till he took council with this great solitude" (98). For Marlow, the dark and hollow core inside himself and all mankind is also exposed during his conquest into the unfamiliar land, and he too comes very close to being pushed into insa nity by his realizations: "The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself -- that come s too late -- a crop of inextinguishable regrets... Since I had peeped over the edge myself, I under stand better the meaning of his stare... he had made that last stride, he had stepped over the edge, while I had been permitted to draw back my hesitating foot" (119). Obviously, Conrad chose to foc us his novel not on the conflicts that arise between people in societies that try to impose on each other, but rather how a new environment and point of view can lead to self-discovery and internal co nflict within oneself. On the other hand, Achebe's obvious focus was on the falling apart of a cult ure that can occur with a more powerful culture's abrupt influence. He emphisizes throughout his no vel many directly contrasting aspects of European society and the Ibo people, and the conflict this causes both between the two group and among the Ibo people themselves. As the wise Obierka observes , "he [the white man] has put a knife on the things that hold us [the Ibo people] together and we ha ve fallen apart". The use of the words he and we implies that the conflict exists between individua ls; between whites and blacks, Europeans and natives, believers and non-believers, loyalists and tra itors. More specifically, one can observe the trials of the two novels' main characters. Both main characters are tragic heroes and develop such dreadful internal conflict that in the end both are le d to destruction, this conflict is rooted very differently for each of them. In Heart of Darkness, inner station manager Kurtz is found by Marlow in a state of essential insanity; an intellectual and economic genius turned delusional, raving, fanatical, and savage. As Marlow explains, Kurtz's "int elligence was perfectly clear and concentrated, it is true, upon himself with horrible intensity, ye t clear; ... his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by h eavens! I tell you, it had gone mad" (113). Kurtz's downfall was one that had developed from within himself. In Things Fall Apart, former tribal leader and respected warrior Okonkwo ends up losing t he admiration of his people and eventually hanging himself. The self-loathing hopelessness that led to his suicide came primarily from the discord that had developed between himself and the people of his tribe and the hostility of the whites. contrasting conflict things fall apart heart darkness heart darkness josef conrad things fall apart chinua achebe novels that written make statement both meant stir emotions reader whether those emotions anger hope frustration despair enlightenment both novels take place same location same time period involve same groups people both novels depict euro pean imperialism african congo obvious distinction between that heart darkness tells tale from europ ean point view while things fall apart tells from native african tribe point view authors extremely well developed characters manifest exhibit controversies bring light critical aspects human nature p ropensity authors conflict various types ascertain overall theme although similar settings expressio n their ideas underlying themes conrad achebe choose focus very different chiefly ultimate conflict himself while ultimate begin conrad achebe wish make statements negative consequences imperialism wi th their choose emphasize completely unrelated extremely different issues with destructive consequen ces self discovery internal turmoil that goes with segregation from society untamed ruthless savage place such african congo years life jungle drove brilliant kurtz near insanity wilderness found earl y taken terrible vengeance fantastic invasion think whispered about himself which know which concept ion till took council this great solitude marlow dark hollow core inside himself mankind also expose d during conquest into unfamiliar land comes very close being pushed into insanity realizations most hope some knowledge yourself comes late crop inextinguishable regrets since peeped over edge myself understand better meaning stare made last stride stepped over edge while been permitted draw back h esitating foot obviously chose focus novel conflicts arise between people societies impose each othe r rather environment point view lead self discovery internal within oneself other hand obvious focus falling culture occur more powerful culture abrupt influence emphisizes throughout novel many direc tly contrasting aspects european society people this causes between group among themselves wise obie rka observes white knife hold together have fallen words implies exists individuals whites blacks eu ropeans natives believers believers loyalists traitors more specifically observe trials main charact ers main characters tragic heroes develop such dreadful internal destruction this rooted very differ

ently each them inner station manager kurtz found marlow state essential insanity intellectual econo mic genius turned delusional raving fanatical savage marlow explains kurtz intelligence perfectly cl ear concentrated true upon horrible intensity clear soul being alone wilderness looked within itself heavens tell gone downfall developed within former tribal leader respected warrior okonkwo ends los ing admiration eventually hanging self loathing hopelessness suicide came primarily discord develope d tribe hostility whitesEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study, college, thesis, dessertation, test answers, free research, book research, study help, downl oad essay, download term papers