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Oliviasmith
Oliviasmith
English IV AP
Mrs. Balden
28 April 2017
But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell
Alienation. Estrange. Loneliness. Depression. The feeling of sever from the world has a
tremendous effect on the individual. In the novel, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad due to the lack of
familiar environments, influencers, people and community; the natives of Africa and the character Kurtz
demonstrate the true nature of human-beings and how one most learn to cope with oneself to survive.
The natives that roam the African lands protecting their community are inherently referred to as
savages by the other white characters (Conrad 43). Because they have been in the jungle for so long
their humanity is turned off; they are described as animals with horrid faces [that] howled, and leaped
and spununder the droop of heavy and motionless foliage (Conrad 36). To cope and survive with
limited resources they have turned to cannibalism. They hunt, kill the weak and ill feeling no emotion due
to their lack of humanity. They are carved off from the world not knowing right from wrong and will go
to extreme measures to protect their cherished turf. Marlow, the white, main character of the novel,
describes the natives attack as undertaken under the stress of desperation, and in its essence [is] purely
protective (Conrad 43). Though, from the perspective of the white Europeans the natives appear as
savage, inhuman and ruthless; they express devotion to their culture and their land. Due to the effect of
Kurtz is the legendary, idolized member of the company known for his ability to collect
tremendous amounts of wealth for the company with the ivory he bargains from the natives. This
character is the ultimate example of how isolation and unknown surroundings can alter a person
completely. He has been in the middle of Africa in the jungle for an extensive period and has chosen not
to return to Europe. He is described as an animated image of death carved out of old ivory[wanting] to
swallow all the air, all the earth, all the men before him (Conrad 60). Kurtz has assimilated into the
native culture and has used threats to become their leader. He is ruthless and cannibalistic and has round
knobs[that] were expressive and puzzling, striking and disturbing-food for thought and also for the
vultures on stakes peering into his house (Conrad 57). Ultimately, Kurtz only cares about gaining
wealth from the company and maintaining power for himself. He serves as an example of how isolation
Overall, this prompt relates to the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad because in the
novel humanity is tested to the limit, the characters must fight to survive and realize what is truly
necessary. Conrad demonstrates the insane nature of man through the ruthless natives and the
antagonizing character of Kurtz. The lack of unfamiliar environments, familiar people and being forced to
live a different way of life forces a person to become inhuman and learn to cope with limited resources to
survive. Alienation deprives a person of their true existence forcing the turnoff of humanity and all
emotional feelings.