ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: racism

In a popular trial in Manila about Neil Puache, convicted of rape, exclaimed: “You’re all racists and you don’t even understand it!” This subject may be quite questionable however I have enough proofs to back up my opinions. Bigotry refers to any theory or teaching mentioning that inherited physical qualities such as skin color, facial features, hair texture, and the like determine behavior patterns, personality type and intellectual capabilities. They do not understand that, according to the values’ requirements, that the actions of male define what worths they have instead of how they look due to the fact that through these values, one can understand that an individual is acting in a correct or inappropriate method.
Topic: racism

It isn’t only amongst us that Filipinos have shown preference of a certain race. Did you know that people with Chinese blood were often discriminated in the Philippines because of the way they look? Only because of the current norms of what people perceive to be beautiful are Chinese people thought of as better than us. They make their Chinese blood a feature of their humanity. This is why “Tsinoys” are more frequently seen on T.V. than Filipinos with the traditional Filipino beauty.
Topic: racism

Historians claim that this fever started the same time colonial mentality seeped into our veins and pointed out that it was widespread by 1572. The colonizers start with the assumption that their ways are inherently superior to those of the colonized. Racist men were put into positions of power where they were expected to promote, first and foremost, the economic and fashion interests of the country’s elite. In the name of God, civilization progress and development, the colonizers justified the most barbaric acts they inflicted on the colonized. The brainwashing committed by the colonizers was meant to tell the imposed that their culture is way behind civilization. They did not know that the acts also made the Filipinos think that lighter skin meant more superior beings.
Topic: racism

Particularly when face-to-face with a person in authority, Filipinos have the tendency to be submissive. They have an obsessive desire to please, serve and accept the opinion of a person in authority. Rather than asserting their rights, they prefer to suffer in silence for fear of offending another person or being thought of as uncooperative or dumb. The Filipinos have practiced pakikisama but this value turned out to be a non-assertive mentality that started the whole disease. This is the kind of mindset and barbarism that shaped the history of the Filipinos.
Topic: racism

According to Rogdiger in his article from rubak.com, “a typical Filipino parent would say that being white is good because it shows superiority (the female parent is likely to suggest this, most males tend to be contented with their own race) because only a small percent of Filipinos is lucky enough to have this gift”. The truth is, to think so is being as racist as the people who enslaved them and told them that they were inferior. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Filipinos are so caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. The parents sent the word and strength of racism to many generations in the future and it will never stop until Filipinos accept that they are racists.
Topic: racism

In the past, racism was easily defined and institutional. The colonizers have been successful in promoting their race to a higher level but they, surely enough, didn’t expect the Philippines to be a racist society in the future. The refusal to accept this sickness has allowed it to transform into new forms. Racism has evolved from an aggressive prejudicial behavior to a more subtle one. This type of subtle prejudicial behavior has advanced to a degree that is much more difficult to se, yet is regarded as more severe. This modern form of racism has entered the workplace. Filipinos are so caught up with trying to be an independent race, yet they would prefer to be a part of a different race. A foreigner came back from the Philippines and said: “All I saw was a lot of racists!” More that a quarter of the females in the Philippines have died their hair blonde, with an effort to be “more cool” or “more foreign” only to have most turn out an ugly orangy-color. These women also wear too much makeup to lighten their skin.
Topic: racism

The theme of religion in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is an extremely important one. It stands as a crucial point for other themes in the novel such as racism, sexism and discrimination. The community of Maycomb County all believe themselves to be devout, wholesome people; we discover that they are using their religion to indulge in other criticisms. Although they listen to the sermons about their religion and pretend that they practise it outside of church on a Sunday, the rest of their time, their beliefs on social harmony are far from the perfect Christian morals they believe themselves to have.
Topic: racism

This is evident in Chapter twenty-four, the scene that involves the ‘ladies of the missionary tea circle’. Here the majority of women believe themselves to be utterly perfect ‘southern-belles’, who devote their life to discussing the works of Jesus .One thing is apparent, though, the women in the group hold diverse viewpoints and represent the various liberal, conservative, and hypocritical viewpoints found in the general population of Maycomb county.
Topic: racism

We see how shallow they actually are when they go into discussion about the “Mrunas” and how awful it would be to have people such as this living in their community, with “lots of children running round” “all dirty” and “flea ridden”. Here we see the uncanny irony because, these women have these type of people living amongst them; the Ewell family. But although they may see this similarity, they may refuse to accept it because as “Ladies”, they cannot accept such atrocities in their own town.
Topic: racism

Although the theme of religion is though to be taken seriously by every member of the community, it is only really practised by the black community. Indeed, the white people practise it. But, in measures such as when Miss Maudie is condemned for looking after her garden when she could be reading the bible. In methods such as enforcement of religion, people will never take it as seriously than if they would have had the chance to learn about Methodists, rather than having it drummed into them at birth.
Topic: racism

Phrases from the Bible such as “Do unto others as you would like done unto you” and “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” are not given a second thought as the community continues to be a hypocritical, racist and unjust society. No though for other people’s feelings is given in Maycomb county, no thought for how someone may be feeling, especially if they are black. For the community of Maycomb, does not believe the black people to have any feelings whatsoever. Just as long as the white people still feel they are a perfect community, full of devout, God-fearing people, they do not care who is put to death and who suffers.
Topic: racism

The Bible does not say anything about the ill treatment of black people. It does not commend or apprehend racial or sexist discrimination. So, if these people base their lives on the teachings of the Bible, why is their discrimination in their society? Historical reasons. Discrimination and racism had nothing to do with their religious beliefs; it was because of a long history of conflict, starting way before Civil War. So, wouldn’t you have thought that in the nineteen hundreds, people would have woken up to the fact that colour of skin has no preference on a person? But, the people of Maycomb County are so fixed in their ways of social class that their racist ways will never change. Black people occupy the lowest class level in the Maycomb society. Not because of their deprivation or the way they speak, it was because of the colour of their skin.
Topic: racism

In conclusion, religion plays an extremely important part in To Kill a Mockingbird. It forms a stem for other morals and beliefs such as discrimination; both racism and sexism and shows the reader what an unjust community Maycomb County is. On the surface of the communities personalities are holy, devout people. But, as we study their religion along with their morals, the realisation is in fact that theses people use their religion as an excuse to discriminate, not only against black members of the society, but in some cases women. Religion will always play a big part in society and culture, even in present day, but in the early nineteen hundreds, it was treated properly only by a few people. The rest, use it as a basis to form other such like beliefs and ethics, going so far away from the holy life Jesus intended, by being evil, self-centred human beings.
Topic: racism

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” uses the younger generations as well as the older generations of the family (from grandparents to children) to portray a decline in moral stability and Christian beliefs; an example of how tradition, meant to maintain these beliefs and morals, can be easily corrupted. “The Death of Tommy Grimes” communicates this same message through the strictly traditionalist character of the father, whose racism is shown to be extremely destructive to our society.
Topic: racism

Because of his unquestioning belief in racist traditions, he has influenced his own son to adhere to the racist tendencies prevalent in the South during their time. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is extremely subtle in its anti-traditionalist message, its most effective example being a subtle allusion to a lurking evil in the highly traditional character of the grandmother, showing the fact that personal flaws are often disguised by a strong belief in the values of tradition.
Topic: racism

Her misuse of her Christian tradition is brought to attention through the words of the Misfit: “‘She would have been a good woman,’ the Misfit said, ‘if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.'(O’Connor 11)” “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is much more straightforward in its anti-traditionalist message, emphasizing its stance through the remarkably blunt words of the father: “‘Boys, I wanna tell you my boy became a man today. Yessir, killed his first n****r.’ (Meaddough 413)” The child then belongs to their ironically infantile world of men, and is taken as one of their own by the bar’s stereotypically racist Southerners. This message is condensed to fit the last page of the story, leaving the message short but also driving its point across in a way that is extremely hard to miss. For this reason, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is the better of the two stories in terms of accomplishing its task. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” uses the characters of the children to show its views on tradition’s dangerous effects as it is passed down and either mutilated or ignored throughout multiple generations.
Topic: racism

The children’s rudeness and apathy for the well-being of others is a hard-hitting example of the nature of immorality. “The Death of Tommy Grimes” not only uses the character of the father as an example in its pro-traditionalist message, it also maintains the father as a fully necessary and functional three-dimensional character throughout the story. Although “A Good Man is Hard to Find” would function as a story without the inclusion of the children, it is easy to see that their primary purpose in the story is to show the damage inflicted by a lack of morals. However, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” uses its characters to their fullest potential, again alleviating its success in delivering its message of anti-traditionalism. For these reasons, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is superior to “A Good Man is Hard to Find” in communicating its message on traditionalism through the use of characterization.
Topic: racism

“The Death of Tommy Grimes” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” both use their atmosphere to portray human nature during times of death; however, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is far more successful because it does so without taking away from other aspects of the story. Throughout “The Death of Tommy Grimes”, the son’s fear of killing and the father’s repeated use of the word “buck” without directly referring to a deer gives a strong aura that something is not as it seems on the surface. Although the foreshadowing is not direct, a sense of uneasiness and an aura of evil are given off, imbuing the story with a dark and foreboding atmosphere. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” gives multiple direct references to The Misfit and his evil ways throughout the story, and refers to him in such a way that there would be no logical explanation for his inclusion in the story were he not to interfere directly with the affairs of the family.
Topic: racism

This use of foreshadowing is too direct, and although it certainly adds to the atmospheric uneasiness, it also reveals parts of the story too early on, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Both of these atmospheric devices lead to a climax in which death is very clearly present. Both stories also contain both metaphorical and literal deaths; “The Death of Tommy Grimes” containing the literal death of the sickeningly dehumanized prey and the metaphorical death of Tommy in his passage into “manhood”, and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” portraying the gruesome deaths of the members of the family as well as the internal death of the Misfit who has been metaphorically killed by the society that has mutilated his life. This change in both stories from seemingly normal events into situations where death is present in multiple ways adds to the atmosphere, which shifts from light to dark quite quickly.
Topic: racism

However, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” becomes slightly pretentious after its dark atmosphere has settled in, turning to a long and unrealistic dialogue between the grandmother and the Misfit, a device that is seemingly present only in order to allow O’Connor to communicate her views on the grandmother’s selfishness in death, a message which was mysteriously absent throughout the beginning of the story, without so much as an allusion or foreshadowing to indicate that this message is the true theme of the story. This dialogue actually detracts from the atmosphere of the story by being too obvious in its attempt to redeem the story as a social commentary:
Topic: racism

“I wasn’t there, so I can’t say (Christ) didn’t (raise the dead),” The Misfit said. “I wisht I had of been there,” he said, hitting the ground with his fist. “It ain’t right I wasn’t there because if I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn’t be like I am now.” His voice seemed about to crack and the grandmother’s head cleared for an instant… “Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” (O’Connor 11)
Topic: racism

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “The Death of Tommy Grimes” both deal with the issue of obligation through the use of the grotesque, but “The Death of Tommy Grimes” gives an example better suited to accomplishing its goal. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” shows the grandmother’s belief that both her children and grandchildren hold a strong obligation to her, as though the mere fact that they belong to her lineage means they have inherited a debt of obedience. However, at the same time she shows no obligation whatsoever to her family during a time of extreme desperation, choosing merely to continue struggling for her own life rather than making any attempt to save those around her. Although she calls out the name of her son, she makes no attempt to discourage the Misfit from killing his wife or daughter, nor does she give any recognition to the fact that her grandson has also been killed.
Topic: racism

This shows a very confused and selfish sense of obligation, a willingness to receive but not to give. “The Death of Tommy Grimes” delves into what is arguably an even more grotesque example in order to demonstrate the potential flaws in obligation. The son’s strict devotion to his father leads a boy who could once not bring himself to take the life of a small animal to sufficiently alter his mind to a point at which he could bring himself to shoot a human being. His views of his father as being a role model in his life leads to his inevitable personal death, forcing him to abandon his morals in favor of his obligation to his father:
Topic: racism

The son feels, as most sons do, a natural obligation to his father, and this obligation allows him to demoralize himself and to dehumanize another man, succumbing to racism and evil. Although both stories are very successful in using the grotesque to portray the perils of obligation, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” uses an example that is unveiled more suddenly and also more callously. Rather than showing any one character as having a truly difficult time coping with the horrible nature of the incident, it portrays the racist men as encouraging and applauding the activity, and the son as succumbing to the beliefs of these men and re-evaluating his actions as being almost acceptable.
Topic: racism

It demonstrates that the grotesque can be normalized through a strong enough feeling of obligation. Although “A Good Man is Hard to Find” also demonstrates an apathy towards the grotesque in the character of the Misfit, it shows reasons for his apathy through his hard and troubled past. On the other hand, Tommy Grimes has been raised in a relatively “normal” and “happy” upbringing (his father’s racism being the one downfall that is mentioned). It is because of this acceptance of such a terrible incident that “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is the more successful of the two stories in portraying its message on obligation through the use of the grotesque.
Topic: racism

Although “The Death of Tommy Grimes” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” clearly share much in common, it is obvious that “The Death of Tommy Grimes” is the far superior story. Throughout the stories’ common themes of traditionalism, human nature in times of death, and obligation, “The Death of Tommy Grimes” maintains more well-supported, believable and well-communicated messages than “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Its characterization, atmosphere and use of the grotesque are vital to its success, and Meaddough demonstrates a proficiency in the use of these literary techniques superior to O’Connor. “The Death of Tommy Grimes” prevails over a “A Good Man is Hard to Find” in many ways, and is a far more efficient and successful piece of literature.
Topic: racism

The book “Heart of Darkness” and the movie “Apocalypse Now” are two works dealing with deep issues of evil. (Beyond imperialism, because the evil of imperialism has a root. For example, crack the nut) They refer places boiling down to a discussion of racism. The Thames River as in any mythology is a source of life. At the end, Marlow comes upon Kurtz’s Intended and said, “An object of the fecund”. Also, these two works deal with how a man is surrounded by evil acts and evil minds to fight of the fire fueled by the society.
Topic: racism

I think the prejudice must be recognized as activism, or whatever the proper term is, rather than as racism. B) Conrad is critical, not solely of Africans and their way of life, but also of European culture. He’s just as anti-white as he is also anti-black. Additionally, I think that Conrad may be considered a racist if and only if you decide that the definition of racism is thinking your race is better, but I really don’t think that he could be considered a white supremacist or that he really contained a deep hatred for Africans.
Topic: racism

In fact, I don’t think that he was even that serious on his own race. It is because that overtime he describes the presence of the white imperialist or any white people in general, he describes them in a bitter, dark way. And while he describes the Africans in a sort of blunt way as natural, rustic, raw people. I also think he does it in a much lighter way. I don’t think he criticizes the way they were. I just think he is ignorant of the political correctness found in today’s society.
Topic: racism

Ever since I read that article, I have thought of the book as being pretty disturbing. I don’t know if I would have considered this book quite so frustrating. If I had not read that article, since the racism is the only part of the book that I have been able to focus on. I still think it is very well written and interesting, but it is more difficult to enjoy it, knowing that the author was so racist. Then again, I suppose one cannot expect much more coming from a story written at a time when whites didn’t know hardly anything about other races, and cultures.
Topic: racism

Ultimately, I believe that there is a definitely a strong element of racism in both Heart Of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. However, I believe that the article on ‘Achebe’ overreacts. Granted Conrad displays no respect for the African Culture, this is historical fact and granted that it is not good. It is a part of history in which it cannot be ignored, so it will never happen again stating that black people should be grateful of the white because they were the ones who got them out of slavery in the first place.
Topic: racism

Stereotyping and discrimination based simply on a difference in race are two things that are continually discouraged yet continue even today in the most recent of times. Since the wake of September 11, racial profiling in airports has been heavily enforced in order to ensure the safety of Americans. In several instances, the stopping of virtually all Arab or “suspicious” peoples has proved to be advantageous in that those incriminated intended on causing harm to others. Furthermore, airport security has done a superb job in pinpointing the true terrorist, any person of a different race.
Topic: racism

Heavily practiced in airports today, this procedure does much more harm than good. In suspecting Arabs or other minorities solely for the fact that they are of a different ethnic background strongly violates what our country stands for. Arabs and other minorities who once saw the United States as a place of freedom and equal opportunity now experience firsthand the true injustices it furnishes. Clearly, after September 11, individual rights took a back seat to what was promoted as the greater need of protecting America from further harm.
Topic: racism

The sheer racism racial profiling constitutes clearly demonstrates the overall ignorance of those who find it to be a positive practice. By supporting racial profiling we are supporting racism, and by supporting racism, we are supporting hate. As this practice is becoming common procedure, entire groups of people are being discriminated against. This erroneous view of a complete race, induced by racial profiling, demonstrates the overall misconception and ignorance people have regarding people who are different from them. Labeling a particular group of persons as terrorists not only is unfair but it tarnishes the reputation of that entire race. By practically making discrimination an acceptable action, it hinders Arabs and other groups from obtaining jobs and a respected status.
Topic: racism

The issue of racial conflict has caused great controversy for many centuries. Conflict which is incited by racism is often thought to be the worst of all conflicts because it is unfounded and based on utterly false beliefs. In society today, there are many racist people who put down and almost ostracize the people of another community. In Joy Kogawa’s novel, Obasan, the issue of racism is discussed through the various letters kept by Obasan which in turn provides a first-hand look at was done to Naomi’s family.
Topic: racism

In Obasan, there are many instances where the Joy Kogawa uses images of animals, such as insects, kittens and especially chickens to support a general theme of dehumanization. Also these animals always seem to correspond to human beings, whether they are generalized groups or individual characters. In other words, it is very apparent to see the foreshadowing of the story and also the close connection between the animals in the story and the human condition of the story, through the use of these vivid images of the animals.
Topic: racism

At the very beginning of the novel, when Obasan and Naomi are rummaging through the attic and getting reminded about all of the memories, they come across a family of spiders. These spiders are described as being “round black blots, large as a cat’s eye” (24) and in a sense, disgusting enough to send shivers down any persons’ spine. This description of the black and creepy spiders is a foreshadowing of all of the memories that Obasan and Naomi have, as the memories and the plot itself is quite dark and horrific.
Topic: racism

However, it is possible to assume that the blackest memories are the ones that deal with the racism towards the Japanese community. For example, it seems that everyone who has ever had an effect on Naomi, good or bad, has deserted her with time. Also, on the way to school, Naomi and Stephen are taunted and teased by the other school kids. Most importantly, the very way that the Canadian Government mistreated the Japanese community, sending them to concentration camps, putting them on trains and forcing them to live in tiny huts, is a cruel memory. This memory a will probably stay with Naomi for the rest of her life much like the ancient spiders in the attic.
Topic: racism

The part of the novel with the kitten trapped underneath the outhouse in another, quite disgusting look at the issue of racism. The thing that is so shocking about this part is that the white-haired girl blames Naomi for something that Naomi obviously did not do, throwing a kitten down in the outhouse. What is even more shocking is that the girl, the owner of the kitten does not go down and get her kitten, but instead leaves the kitten there to eventually die. The girl can represent the white Canadian and the kitten can be seen as a Japanese Canadian living in that society.
Topic: racism

The kitten is stuck in the outhouse, which can represent Canada. While it is down there, “no one is nearby…no one comes to help” (172) even though the cat makes “a faint steady mewing” (172). Since there is no one around the kitten will eventually be forgotten about. In other words, the Canadian government tries to get rid of the Japanese community by sending them to concentration camps where, despite all of the arguments and letters sent by Aunt Emily to be heard (the mewing), the Japanese community will probably be forgotten about as there is no one around.
Topic: racism

Another example of this animal imagery is when Naomi is standing alone in the backyard next to the cage of the white hen, she places one by one little yellow chicks in the cage with the hen. Suddenly and “without warning, the hen jabs down on the [chicks]” (62) consistently. Through the use of this animal imagery, the issue of racism is clearly apparent. For example, the hen can be seen as the white people living in “the cage” or Canada. Slowly, the Japanese people, in this case the yellow chicks, immigrate into the cage. Without doing anything wrong or anything that would anger the hen, or white people, the hen comes down and starts pecking at the chicks.
Topic: racism

In this part, it is possible to assume that the sole reason that the hen comes down on the chicks is that the yellow chicks have appearances different than the white hen. Also, there is a great deal of foreshadowing in this little part of the novel as the Canadian people will soon start ostracising the Japanese Canadian community with no warning at all. Not only will they ostracise the community, the Canadians, although they do not kill the Japanese like the hen did to the chicks, but the racism is so strong that they will send the Japanese on concentration camps away from all urban areas and even treat them like animals forcing them into little tool shed houses covered with cow manure for a roof.
Topic: racism

Another example of the chicken imagery is in the school yard where a bunch of Japanese schoolboys are killing a white chicken. This imagery of the chicken suffering is one of the better examples of racism in the novel. This killing of the chicken can symbolise the anger that the Japanese community have against the white Canadians after the way that they have been treated. This hatred and anger is in fact so strong that it is not good enough to just kill the chicken, but they “got to make it suffer” (169). This is kind of ironic as well, because the chicken can be seen as the Japanese community and the schoolboys can be seen as the white Canadians. The Canadians in the novel continuously make the Japanese people “suffer” instead of killing them instantly as killing them or deporting them would affect the Canadian image. It is for this reason that the Canadians decide to torment the Japanese and try to cover everything up.
Topic: racism

In conclusion, Obasan, by Joy Kogawa deals with the issue of racism in a very efficient way by using unique images of animals to not only represent human beings in society, but also to help support the theme of this dehumanization. Racism in society is extremely awful as it is based on utterly false beliefs. In the novel, for example, all Japanese were considered to be evil people even though the Japanese living in Canada did hardly anything to the Canadians. Individuals of a certain community are being ostracized by other people for being of a certain race. Obasan, teaches us that we should not consider a certain community to be evil, but embrace the differences in society. In other words, Hitler was a fanatical German, however not all Germans are fanatical.
Topic: racism

Most characters in the novel are racist against the Japanese, except Arthur Chambers, who is accused of siding with the “enemy” for contributing Japanese points-of-view into his newspaper editorials, and his son, Ishmael, who later views Japanese in a negative light. Ishmael’s change in attitude occurs because of his frustration in the failure of his pursuit of Hatsue. Etta Heine’s attitude towards the Japanese is among the worst of any character in Snow Falling on Cedars. She does not see the Japanese as an equal race, but as an evil, vengeful race with ulterior motives.
Topic: racism

David Guterson developed the theme by the general condescending attitude and actions by the whites towards the Japanese. There is constant tension between characters of different races (Etta and Zenhichi), problems with interracial relationships (Ishmael and Hatsue), and a fearful, bigoted dialogue; “They’re Japs…We’re in a war with them. We can’t have spies around.” The majority of elements in the novel revolve around racial issues, as Guterson creates an important and poignant theme of a difficult era in American history.
Topic: racism

Achebe’s “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” (The Massachusetts Review, 18 (1977) : 782 – 94) expresses a passionate objection to Conrad’s point of view and portrayal of Africa and Africans in his novel Heart of Darkness. Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, can be considered the direct opposition to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and is seen to as a challenge on Conrad’s western views. I shall explore the validity in Achebe’s “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” with regards to language, characterisation, religion and culture.
Topic: racism

The term “common sense” used earlier also illustrates how Achebe took offence to the Western ideologies in that “common sense” is a term invented by Westerners. “Common sense” is the general term one uses for Western beliefs and values but other cultures (especially African cultures) have not been included as a part of this terminology. African cultures are, in fact, criticized by the term “common sense”, which once again Achebe took offence to. Achebe felt that Heart of Darkness was also a way of “writing back to the centre” in that it represented the Western people or Colonists as the dominant and superior force, to Achebe it was an alienation of the Africans and Africa.
Topic: racism

Brantlinger’s paper discusses the different views on colonisation by explaining five differents stances taken. According to Brantlinger the abolitionist stance (despite its good intentions) pitied the Africans and tried to fight for the Africans, but at the same time it did not occur to them that Africans were also intelligent people who could fight their own battles. It was hence seen that the abolitionists too, were treating the Africans as inferior. His discussion of the explorer’s stance illustrates how the explorers exploited Africa and destroyed its people because the explorers saw the Africans as a sub-race of savages who had little to no importance. Brantlinger also shows how scientists saw the Africans as a separate species to humans and that Africans were thought to be animals. Scientists theorised, through Social Darwinism, that the Africans would either have to survive of sucumb. To them the Africans were expendable.
Topic: racism

To Brantlinger the missionaries considered the Africans as a race of pagans and heathens who needed to be converted to the “Good Faith”, Christianity, and they did not consider that the Africans may very well have had their own religion and set of beliefs. Furthermore, Brantlinger illustrated how the Western writers portrayed Africans as a sub-race of savages (or as an inferior group of people) who needed pity and a push in the right direction towards their Western ways. His statements, ” The constant association of Africa with the inhuman violence of the slave trade did much to darken its landscape even during the romantic period.” and ” By mid-century, the success of the anti-slavery movement, the impact of the great explorers, and the merger of racist and evolutionary doctrines in the social sciences had combined to give the British public a widely shared view of Africa that demanded imperialisation on moral, religious and scientific grounds.
Topic: racism

It is this view that I have called the myth of the Dark Continent” are prime examples of how he see people to have incorrect notions about Africa and Africans. His views are highly suited to Achebe’s “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” in that they show how a white, westernised person sees the same racism eminent in todays literature as Achebe it sees in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, only Brantlinger does not directly attack any one specific book or person. Instead Brantlinger presents his view in a factual and justified manner which further helps support Achebe because he makes it easier to believe and understand him when he uses factual information rather than exclusively his opinions.
Topic: racism

Brookes wrote a paper on how certain stereotypes of Africa have been created and how they are perpetuated in newspapers today. Headlines such as, “Why give life-blood to this heart of darkness?” were analysed and according to Brookes this headline and others like it “… result in the foregrounding of Africa as violent, repressive and helpless… They set up opposites where Africa is on the one side and is held up against a standard which it apparently does not meet”. Brookes’ analysis and opinions are highly relevant in that she illustrates how certain stereotypes and ideas on Africa have become second nature and are even printed in chronicles which are supposed to be factual recollections of events.
Topic: racism

Brookes does so by discussing certain gramatical, wording and representation trends associated with Africa and this shows that these ideals are wrong and racist, one should not be allowed to perpetuate such incorrect stereotype of Africans. At the same time Brookes’ paper can also discredit Achebe, because it shows that perhaps Conrad’s reason for Heart of Darkness being a racist novel is because certain stereotypes are printed in the press each day and he simply did not know any better.
Topic: racism

Achebe’s article, “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness”, shows that Achebe feels that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is racist and it perpetuates a certain incorrect view on Africans. He is offended by Conrad’s racism and insensitivity towards Africans. ” Heart of Darkness pojects the image of Africa as “the other world,” the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man’s vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality.” Here Achebe shows exactly how he feels about Heart of Darkness. Achebe sees Marlowe and Conrad as the same person and hence because Marlowe, the narrator in Heart of Darkness, is ignorant and racist… Achebe immediatly assumes that Conrad holds the same views. Achebe feels that Conrad represents the colonists as superior somewhat god-like and that the Africans in Heart of Drakness are shown as savages, heathens and infidels and they are seen to be inferior.
Topic: racism

Not only is this perception of Africans conveyed but Africa is also seen as a dark and mystical place which threatens everything that is foreign. Furthermore Achebe feels that Heart of Darkness creates the impression that Africa infects the Western people and drives them mad, as happened to Kurtz : “Consequently Africa is something to be avoided just as the picture has to be hidden away to safeguard the man’s jeopardous integrity. Keep away from Africa or else! Mr Kurtz of Heart of Darkness should have heeded that warning … But he foolishly exposed himself to the wild irresistable allure of the jungle and lo! the darkness found him out.” Achebe also feels that Conrad is also trying to convert people to his racist ways and infect them with his “xenophobia” (fear of foreigners). Achebe not only sees Conrad as a “thoroughgoing racist” and is offended by it but he is also offended by the fact that nobody has challenged Heart of Darkness and its racism, but they praise and study this book instead.
Topic: racism

C.P. Sarvan also wrote a critique on Heart of Darkness and Achebe’s article. He was, however, far less extreme than Achebe. Furthermore, he looks at the story from both sides and he weighs up both the Authors’ strengths and weaknesses. Sarvan discusses how in Heart of Darkness the colonists are actually corrupt and rotten to the core and instead of Africa being shown as an entirely bad and deep dark continent, Sarvan sees some type of of set used to highlight how the colonists were deranged and not at all pure, as the African people were. Sarvan quotes a critic who said, “Africa per per se is not the theme of Heart of Darkness, but it is used as a locale symbol for the very core of an ‘accursed inheritance”.
Topic: racism

This quote along with Sarvan’s opinion that “the story may be seen as an allegory, the journey ending with the sombre realisation of the darkness of man’s heart.” show how in Heart of Darkness Conrad does not simply want to discredit Africa and show to be a dark black hole which is to be feared, rather that it actually illustrates how the colonists could learn goodness and purity from the Africans. In contrast to Achebe, Sarvan also sees Marlowe and Conrad as totally separate people and he thinks that Marlowe’s views are not necessarily the same as Conrad’s. Sarvan considers all the evidence and he concludes that in some parts of Heart of Darkness Conrad does tend to project racist view points, but by the same token Conrad also criticises the Colonists, their way of life and their lack of morals and ethics.
Topic: racism

In both Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness there is certain language and diction which is used, the language used conveys a certain opinion and attitude toward what is being said. If one is to look at Brooke’s paper it can be seen that certain words are used to convey certain images of Africa, and at times even a certain gramatical structure is associated with Africa. If one looks at the language used in Heart of Darkness certain words can be picked out and seen as racist but also there are words which are not racist towards the Africans and rather they discredit the colonists. For example: “The Man seemed young – almost a boy – but you know with them it’s hard to tell.”( Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg35, line 21). Here one can consider this to be a racist comment as it creates a distance between the Africans and the colonists, but it can also be seen as a perfectly innocent and ignorant comment because it’s natural to have trouble understanding that which you do not know.
Topic: racism

A very similar comment is made in the same novel, however it is made with regard to the white men, it’s as follows “… white men being so much alike at a distance that he could not tell who I might be.” (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 33, line 27) In Things Fall Apart there are also times when it can be criticised for the language used – Achebe describes the white missionaries as “four eyes” and here it is further illustrated that the Africans are now finding that which they are not familiar with troublesome and hard to understand. So when one weighs the two different descriptions from Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness up it can be seen that certain language can be seen as racist even if that is not the intent.
Topic: racism

Furthermore when Conrad writes, “Fine fellows – cannibals – in their place.” (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 61, line 6) you can both criticise and praise this quote. Although it does distance the Africans when he says “their place” and it could be seen as insulting to call the Africans “cannibals”, Conrad also presents the Africans in a friendly manner and he shows some kind of kinship with them when he says “Fine fellows”. Finally, there are many times when Conrad uses insulting language with regards to the Africans but he also uses language which praises them, so Achebe is not entirely correct when he says that Conrad’s book Heart of Darkness “parades in the most vulgar fashion prejudices and insults…”
Topic: racism

In Things Fall Apart one is able to learn about the African religion and at the same time the Western religion is presented to the reader, neither is said to be right nor wrong. The advantages and disadvantages of both religions are expressed to the reader and prejudice is not shown towards either religion. In Heart of Darkness however, only the Western religion is shown and it is not even considered that the African Savages may possibly have a perfectly good set of morals and a decent religion. One is exposed to the Western religion and it is seen as the be all and end all.
Topic: racism

The characters in Heart of Darkness are also portrayed to only believe in one certain religion and that religion (christianity) is the “saviour” of the primitive, savage Africans. For example this can be seen when Conrad writes, ” Something like an emissary of light, somethng like a lower sort of apostle… ‘weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways,’…”(Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 28, line 17). Brantlingers paper further illustrates this as well as shows that this was a Victorian ideal. Hence, with regard to religion the only religion really shown in Heart of Darkness is christianity and it is not questioned or compared to an African religion, as the two religions in Things Fall Apart are.
Topic: racism

Culture in both Achebe and Conrad’s novels is explored on two fronts : an African front and a Western front. In Things Fall Apart the more dominant culture is of course the African culture. One is introduced to the African Umuofia tribe and thereafter they are presented with the many different cultures and beliefs of that tribe and well some of the other African tribes. In Things Fall Apart, one is also shown a brief view of how the Africans saw and came to be part of Western culture, but one is also shown how the African culture actually contains alot of sense, morals and ethics. It can be seen that African culture it is not simply a group of people shouting out foreign screeches on shore as they are shown in Heart Of Darkness.
Topic: racism

Furthermore, in Heart of Darkness the Western culture is the dominant one, and in contrast to Things Fall Apart not only is there very little understanding of the other culture (African Culture) but also there seems to be no effort from the characters in Heart of Darkness to even begin to understand or grasp the African culture : “In the empty immensity of the earth , sky, and water, there she was (the French man-of-war) incomprehensible firing into a continent.” (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 30, line 33) This quote can also be used to illustrate how the colonists were seen as deranged and their culture fickle.
Topic: racism

The characterisation in the two novels is very different when speaking about either the Africans of the Westerners. In Things Fall Apart the African is characterised as an intelligent being who has a sense of right and wrong and they contain the makings of Westerner’s human thread; maternal instinct towards one’s child, the drive to succeed, the knowledge of right and wrong, punishment for those who commit crimes, respect for elders etc. Furthermore, in Things Fall Apart the Westerners are portrayed in a fair light, despite their exloitation of the Umuofia tribe and their ideas are taken into consideration and the benifits are thaught about… this shows the Umuofia to be logical and fair people. Whereas in Heart of Darkness the Westerners are the only ones who are considered to be intelligent, despite them also being shown as impure and unfair : “hairdresser’s dummy” (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 36, line31) and “I let him run on, this papier-mache Mephistopheles, and it seemed to me that if I tried I could poke my forefinger through him, and would find nothing inside but a little loose dirt, maybe.”
Topic: racism

The Africans in Heart Of Darkness are not portrayed as humans, rather they’re seen as animals, but at the same time they can also be seen as more human than the imhumane colonists because they are compassionate and they aren’t empty inside (refer to “I let him run on…” above). The Africans are also seen as the underdogs being destroyed by the white men who only care for money. Overall in Things Fall Apart, the portrayal of the Africans in is that they’re humans with morals and a good steady culture and the portrayal of the Westerners is that they’re also human with morals and their own culture. In Heart of Drakness, the Africans are weak, primitive savages victimised by the strong, impure White man with no moral fibre.
Topic: racism

The links between the books Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness can be seen as a trend throughout Booke’s and Brantlinger’s Papers. Both find that in our societies there are certain ideas associated with Africa; namely darkness, mystery, savagery, unenlightenment, lack of intelligence and resourses as well as good solid religion and moral fibre, and finally the idea that Africa infects the rest of the world with all its dark and dangerous qualities. Each day these ideas are passed through our brains and drummed into our heads, to such a degree that the majority of us no longer question their being right or wrong. Achebe found that in Heart of Darkness, Conrad discussed and displayed these racist ideals in extreme amounts and Achebe felt the racism Conrad openly showed was unacceptable. Surely society played a role in this uneducated assumption made about Africa and its people when it allowed for such racist ideals to be printed in the everyday press.
Topic: racism

In Conclusion it can be asid that Achebe did have reason for his opposition to Heart of Drakness and its portrayal of Africa and Africans. It must be considered, however, that perhaps Conrad’s unintentional racism was simply the product of ignorance. He was incorrect in conveying the Africans as savages, but at the time the book was written Conrad was probably blinded by his society and its stereotypes. Furthermore, his true intention in Heart of Darkness was to show the Westerners lack of moral fibre by contrasting them against the Africans and showing how the Westerners exploited the Africans. Achebe’s description of Conrad as a “thoroughgoing racist” in “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” was not entirely true. Conrad did include some racism in Heart of Drakness but it was not intentional and it was certainly not extreme enough to call him a “thoroughgoing racist”.