Halilovi | 2

Merima Halilovi

ENG 201 Academic Paper Writing

Dr. Barbara Brown

7th of JuneArgument Synthesis

Heart of Darkness was published in 1899. The main topic of this novella is imperialism. At the time it was written, the British Empire was at its peak, and Britain controlled colonies and dependencies all over the world. The Boer War and a struggle between the native South Africans and the British imperialists broke out as Joseph Conrad wrote this novella. The first key term that is going to be discussed is differences between Europe and Africa, where Conrad makes Africa as the opposite to intelligence, civilization, and humanity. The second key term is the description of the man where Conrad uses word ''black'' three times as if it was impressive and unusual to see the black person. Third key term is the description of two rivers Congo and Thames, which are according to Conrad are different. In his article ''An Image of Africa,'' Chinua Achebe states that Joseph Conrad was a racist. While Conrad was a superb artist, he was locked into the racist attitudes, which required that European culture would be affirmed when compared to other culture. This comparison in Heart of Darkness requires in Marlows narrative debasement and dehumanization of the African natives. He strongly argues that because racist attitudes continue to haunt the European mind, Heart of Darkness should not be included as an outstanding work because it reinforces old stereotypes. In ''The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' by Wilson Harris, argues against Achebes accusation of racism, claiming that the novel expresses Conrads deepest roots in an intuitive and much older self than the historical ego. He also claims that as a true artist Conrad was not bound by the prejudices of his age. He does not recognize the crucial parody of European perceptions which is the central message of Heart of Darkness. Chinua Achebe thinks that Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, is about racism and Wilson Harris stands that it is not about the racism, but I will show that it is not because of the three key terms which Wilson Harris explained in his article.

In Chinua Achebes ''An Image of Africa,'' (1978), Achebes concern is about the novels characterization and its portraits of African people. Achebe supports his claim by giving examples from the book and explaining them. Achebes purpose is to show that this book is not an outstanding work, but rather a reinforcement of old stereotypes. Achebe establishes a formal tone with his audience of African and European citizens in order to make them aware of what is this book about. Achebes interest in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is in the desire, the need in Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe, as a place of negations at once remote and yet vaguely familiar, in comparison with which Europes own state of spiritual grace will be manifest (2). ''Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as the other world, the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where mans vaunted and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality'' (3). This is claim of value, because Achebe wants to prove something that will be made depending on person to person. To support his claim he gives an example about people. In order to do that he quoted entire page: ''We were wanderers on a prehistoric earth, on an earth that wore the aspect of an unknown planet. We could have fancied ourselves the first of men taking possession of an accursed inheritance Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough; but if you were man enough you would admit to yourself that there was in you just the faintest trace of a response to the terrible frankness of that noise, a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it which you-you so remote from the night of first ages could comprehend'' (Conrad 105- 06). Here lies the meaning of Heart of Darkness, which holds over the Western mind: ''What thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity-like yours Ugly.'' He continues with his arguments by quoting the description of an African man: ''He ought to have been clapping his hands and stamping his feet on the bank, instead of which he was hard at work, a thrall to strange witchcraft, full of improving knowledge'' (Conrad 106). He is also using a description of two woman: She was savage and superb, wild and eyed and magnificentShe stood looking at us without a stir and like the wilderness itself, with an air of brooding over an inscrutable purpose (Conrad 137). According to Achebe, this Amazon woman is drawn in considerable detail for two reasons. First, she is in her place, and can win Conrads special brand of approval, and second, she fulfills a structural requirement of the story. A savage woman copy to refined European woman: She came forward, all in black with a pale head, floating toward me in the dusk. She was in mourningShe took both my hands in hers and murmured, I had heard you were coming.She had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering (Conrad 111). Perhaps the most significant difference is one implied in Conrads human expression to the one differing it from the other. In one point, he states that the attitude to the Africans is not Conrads, but of his fictional narrator, Marlow. For example, Marlow is a narrator behind the narrator because he tells Kurtzs story, not his own. Marlow comes as a witness of truth, holding advanced and humane views appropriate to the English tradition, which required all Englishmen of decency to be deeply shocked by atrocities in Bulgaria (7). Another example that he uses from the book is: ''They were all dying slowly-it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now - nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying confusedly in the greenish gloom. Brought from all the recesses of the coast in all the legality of time contracts, lost in uncongenial surroundings, fed on unfamiliar food, they sickened, became inefficient, and were then allowed to crawl away and rest'' (Conrad 82). This means that it takes different forms in the minds of different people about the questions of equality between black and white people. He also quotes how Conrad saw Africa: ''Africa as setting and backdrop which eliminates the Africans as human factor. Africa as a metaphysical battlefield devoid of all recognizable humanity, into which the wandering European enters at his peril.'' ''The real question is the dehumanization of Africa and Africans, who fostered and continues to foster in the world.'' The question is whether the novel, which celebrates this dehumanization, can be called a great work of art? His answer is: No. He is not going to call a man an artist, who composed eloquent instigation to one people to fall upon another and to destroy them (8-9). Even though he is quoting some parts from the book in order to prove that Joseph Conrad is a racist, he is simply saying ''Conrad was a racist, that is a simple truth which is glossed over in criticism of his work because white racism against Africa is such a normal way of thinking that its manifestations go completely unremarked'' (8). He still believes that there is antipathy in Conrads attitude toward black people. ''Certainly Conrad had a problem with niggers. Sometimes his complexity on blackness is overwhelming,'' as giving us the brief description: ''A black figure stood up, strode on long black legs, waving long black arms'' (Conrad 142). With this quotation Achebe wanted to show that this description of a man is representing Conrad as a racist person and that he had a problem with black people. Achebe uses several quotes from historians, writers, students to support his claim by using expert testimony. For example, children in Yokers learned about African history, about customs, superstitions and tribes. British historian and professor at Oxford, Hugh Trevor Roper stated that African history did not exist? The English critic F.R. Leavis, thirty years ago draw attention about Conrads ''adjectival insistence upon inexpressible and incomprehensible mystery'' (3). Also Albert Schweitzer, missionary who said: ''The African is indeed my brother but my junior brother'' and because he builds the hospital for their needs, he became a sensation in Europe and America (8). A British art historian, Frank Willett, describes Conrads book as an art of Europe. Achebe uses deductive logic to prove his claim of value to other people that the book Heart of Darkness is not outstanding work and the author Joseph Conrad is a racist. In order to do that he needs good arguments to convince every person, this is in this case impossible. Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe is considered among the most significant world writers. He is known for founding and developing African literature. He was not recognized just as a writer but as a critical thinker and essayist. He is renowned for ''An Image of Africa'' famous critique of Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness. He wrote many novels, essays, short stories, childrens books, and poetry for which he was awarded for some. Achebe appeals to his audience motivationally on several different levels. His tone is respectful and formal in the manner of address to the European, African and American people. He appeals to real understanding of racism in the Heart of Darkness using persuasive tone. He is also using vivid language by quoting from the some parts in order to prove his point. Achebe cannot accept that some of the writers and historians thought that Africa did not have history, and that Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is actually outstanding work by most of the critics and readers. He provides an understanding of racism and how old prejudices of Western civilization began to look at Africa. This article endows with stated warrants, such as: ''I am talking about a book which parades in the most vulgar fashion prejudices and insults from which a section of mankind has suffered untold agonies and atrocities in the past and continues to do so in many ways and many places today. I am talking about a story in which the very humanity of black people is called in question. It seems to me totally inconceivable that great art or even good art could possibly reside in such unwholesome surroundings'' (11). ''Conrad, after all, sailed down the Congo in 1890 when my own father was still a babe in arms, and recorded what he saw. How could I stand up in 1975, fifty years after his death, and purport to contradict him? My answer is that as a sensible man I will not accept just any travelers tales solely on the grounds that I have not made the journey myself. I will not trust the evidence even of a mans very eyes when I suspect them to be a jaundiced as Conrads'' (11). Although the author uses stated warrants, he also uses unstated warrants to show what the author actually means. Achebe does not have any other ideas how to explain more that this book is about racism and that the people should be more involved in what they are reading and how it affects on them. Some people see it as a great work, some as a revolutionary book and some as a racism book. He also implements logical fallacies, Achebe assumes that all people will agree on this point with him, that Conrad was racism and that his book is about that because it is so easy to be concerned about this and to agree with him. He also attacks the character, in this case Joseph Conrad and his work Heart of Darkness as a racist person which is not acceptable to be a great work. He just said Conrad is a racist and it is a simple truth. It cannot be said something like that about somebody without persuasive enough arguments and just express an opinion expecting that everybody will agree with him. Achebe uses concrete language in his ''An Image of Africa'' to convince his audience of European and American people that the book Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad is about racism. He does not use humor, but he is using some serious source from the book, for example the description of an African man. Achebe uses vocabulary appropriate to his audience which is very understandable. Achebe uses no obvious clichs. Achebe uses a combination of short, long, declarative and complex sentences to persuade his audience.In my view, Achebes ''An image of Africa'' would have been very effective for his audience of Americans and European citizens. He uses a lot of sources, but the main was the characterization of people used in Heart of Darkness. With this text he wanted to prove that the author of the book and the book itself is a racist, with which I do not agree. Why? Because Heart of Darkness expresses not only what Conrad saw, but also what he recorded in his ''Congo Diary'' and also about revelations of atrocities that began to appear in the British press. For me, this text and his arguments did not convince me about his statement. In one part, he said that Conrad is a racist, and that this is a simple truth. Some people maybe will agree with Achebe, but I do not agree, because the main topic of Heart of Darkness is imperialism, a nations policy of exerting influence over other areas through military, political and economic coercion. Marlow expresses horror when he witnesses the violent maltreatment of the natives, and argues that a kinship exists between black Africans and Europeans, but at the same time he states that the kinship is ''ugly'' and horrifying, and extremely distant. In the article ''An Image of Africa'' by Chinua Achebe has shown that the book Heart of Darkness is a racist book which is supported by Frances B. Singh in the article ''Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness''. In ''Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness,'' (2007), Singh agrees with the Chinua Achebes statement that the book is a racist novel. Singh supports her claim by using personal examples and quoting some arguments from Achebes article. Singhs purpose is to show that the book Heart of Darkness is a racist book supporting Achebes article and also terrorist book. Singh establishes a formal tone with her audience of European citizens in order to prove her claim, and that Heart of Darkness is a terrorist novel.Frances B. Singh supports Chinua Achebes ''An Image of Africa'', claiming: ''Heart of Darkness is an example of rhetorical counterterrorism. Conrads overwrought and extreme images of 'savage' behavior- among both blacks and whites- can be interpreted as a technique for calling attention to what Mark Twain would have called 'the real terror' on earth, and fighting, with literary counterterrorism, what the Rev. Scrivener called 'a state of terrorism' '' (202). This is a claim of value, because she wants to prove that the book Heart of Darkness and the author are racist and terrorist. She supports her claim saying, ''Aesthetically, he focuses the readers attention on scenes and sites of horror, but his purpose is not merely impressionistic; rather, he presents horrors, whether physical or psychological, as the end results of terror tactics'' (Brantlinger 259-74). To further support her claim she is saying,

Through his use of horror conventions and stereotypes, Conrad achieves three objectives. First, he enables the reader to locate states of terrorism or terrorist operations. Second, he enables the reader to evaluate them critically. Third, he is able to explore the relationship between terror and horror; his conclusion, as I will demonstrate, is that terror precedes horror, and that horror is the response to terror operations (203).She is also using the characterization of Africans to support his claim, ''The second reason has to do with Conrads characterization of Africans both as terror-inspiring and as victims of state-sponsored terrorism. I once argued that Conrads presentation of Africans reduces the novellas contribution in the area of human rights'' (268-79). She is stating that Africans in Heart of Darkness are seen through the lens of Victorian anthropology, which represents them as evil, savage, and intellectually inferior (204). She states that, ''Understood in this context, the representation of Africans as savages in Heart of Darkness should be seen as an attempt to render more than the conventional nineteenth century European emotional and psychological response. The violent, extreme, frightening descriptions of the Africans whom Marlow sees suggest not only that he is terrified by them- the conventional and racist response- but that it is through the conventions of language that they are made into terror- inspiring objects in touch with the wellsprings of evil- a view ahead of its times'' (204). Conrad presents life of terrorism as hell on earth. ''He describes the area where the African people have come to die as 'the gloomy circle of some Inferno,' and the man themselves as lying about 'in all the attitudes of pain, abandonment, and despair' '' (206). ''He also affirms the existence of terrorism using words of negation such as 'unspeakable,' 'impossible,' and 'incredible' at key points in the text'' (206). This means that these words were stapled in Gothic lexicons which are used to describe terror and horror. She also states that in Heart of Darkness is included cannibalism. ''By the time Conrad came to write Heart of Darkness, Europeans were generally conditioned to believe in the reality of cannibals in places far from European civilization; they were also conditioned to recognize cannibals, primarily by their teeth, but also by the presence of heads posted around their houses, and could accept the idea that those whose cultures included the practice of cannibalism were less than human and could be exterminated'' (Arens 50; Taussig 495). ''Pace Achebe, I would argue that Conrad included cannibals in Heart of Darkness because the conventions of the cannibal story set in Africa required him to do so'' (212). In order to support her claim, she uses some data, such as Terry Eagletons book Holy Terror (2005), F. R. Leavis The Great Tradition. To further support her claim she uses expert testimony. ''Heart of Darkness may also be seen as anticipating, not just the horrors perpetrated by the totalitarian regimes of the twenty-first-anticipating this through its complex analysis of terror and the death-dealing, overweening terrorist mentality'' (215). Singh uses inductive logic to prove that the book Heart of Darkness is not just a racist book but also terrorist and cannibalistic. Frances B. Singh received her Ph.D from Yale University. She gravitated to colonial and post-colonial studies. She has published Forster and Conrad and written creative non-fiction. She has been teaching English at Hostos Community College/CUNY since 1983. Singh appeals to her audience motivationally on several different levels. Her tone is respectful and formal in the manner of address to the African, American and European people. She uses vivid language by describing how African people are presented in the book. She appeals to the real understanding of the book supporting Achebes statement and arguments adding her own opinion and giving arguments. Singh cannot accept that writers like Edmund Morel said that Heart of Darkness was the most powerful thing ever written on the subject. She also uses stated warrants in order to support her claim. ''The rhetoric of Heart of Darkness has a moral function and political implication. It uses hyperbolic language to point out that real outrages have been committed and that the Congo is now, to borrow a phrase from Tony Brown, 'an object zone of horrors' '' (206). ''Heart of Darkness, indebted to the traditional Gothic novel, presents victims as 'shadows' and 'phantoms' (17), whereas the victimizers are hollow men, physically and morally. Marlow implies, for instance, that the fies him as a Gothic terror-inspiring object. What makes Kurtz different from other Gothic villains, however, is that this terrorist and terrorizing ringleader is granted the self-consciousness to call himself by his Gothic name: 'the horror, the horror' (208-209). Even though Singh uses stated warrants, she also uses unstated warrants. Singh does not have any other ideas how to show that this book consist terrorism and horror. Also she implements logical fallacies; she does not know how to persuade people in more effective way. Singh uses concrete language in ''Terror, Terrorism and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness'' to convince her audience of African, American and European people show that this book consists not just racism but also terror and horror. She uses no humor, but instead she uses very serious arguments from the book to support her claim. Singh uses appropriate vocabulary for her audience which is understandable. Singh uses no obvious clichs. Singh uses a combination of short, long, declarative and complex sentences to persuade her audience.

In my view, Singhs ''Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness'' would have been very effective for his audience of Africans, American, and European citizens. She uses a lot of sources, statistics, examples from the book, and statements of other writers for supporting her claim. I find this text was persuasive enough, I liked the fact that she first explained what terrorism by few authors is and then she gave examples from the book why does she think this book contains terror in it. Even though I liked how and in which way she supports her claim, it does not mean I agree with her. I think that this book is very good and effective because it shows us how the people were treated before, but it does not mean that it is racist or terrorist book. Maybe by some things that are written in the book asserts on terrorism, but we should see it in a way to show what was happening in that time.

In articles ''An Image of Africa'' by Chinua Achebe and ''Terror, Terrorism and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness '' by Frances B. Singh is shown that Heart of Darkness is a racist and terrorist book. In order to show that I explained arguments from the book which are used in the articles in order to support their claims. Also, I showed my reasons why dont I agree with them, but not saying that their arguments are not good or persuasive enough. In next three articles, I will show that Chinua and Singh are wrong and that Heart of Darkness is a great book just with truth what was going on in the time it was written. The first article that is going to be discussed in order to defense this book is ''The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' by Wilson Harris.

In Wilson Harriss ''The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands,'' (2011), Harris responds to Chinua Achebes article to show that he has been mistaken. Harris supports his claim by giving some personal examples and examples from Achebes essay. Harriss purpose is to show that Heart of Darkness is not a racist book. Harris establishes a formal tone with his audience of European citizens in order to prove that Chinua Achebe is wrong, and that Heart of Darkness is a frontier novel.

Novelist Wilson Harris, criticizes Chinua Achebes ''An Image of Africa'' opposed to Achebes views, claiming: ''Achebes essay on 'the dehumanization of Africa and Africans' by 'bloody racists' is, therefore, in the light of western malaise and postimperial hangover, a persuasive argument, but I am convinced his judgment or dismissal of Heart of Darkness- and of Conrads strange genius- is a profoundly mistaken one. He sees the distortions of imagery and, therefore, of character in the novel as witnessing to horrendous prejudice on Conrads part in his vision of Africa and Africans.'' This is a claim of value, because Harris wants to prove that Chinua Achebe is wrong by saying that Heart of Darkness is a racist book. He supports his claim by saying that the complex matter arouses incomprehension in Africa where large traditions tends towards homogeneous imperatives. To further support he gives a personal example, ''In South America where I was born this is not the case. The crucial hurdle in the path of community, if community is to create a living future, lies in radical aesthetic in which distortions of sovereign egomonolithic codes of behavior in the old worlds from which they emigrated by choice or by force'' (87). He states that the Conrads form of the novel is the novel form in which most writers, black and white, write today (87). He also uses data to support his claim, giving an example of Edgar Allan Poes Arthur Gordon Pym and James Hoggs Confessions of a Justified Sinner, that were published in the 1830s, Melvilles Benito Cereno, in the middle of the 19 century, and Conrads Heart of Darkness at the beginning of the 20 century. With this he states ''that the logic of human-made symmetry or absolute control of diversity, the logic of benign or liberal order, disclosed hideous biases within a context of heterogeneous bodies and pigmentations'' (87-88). Harris also argues that, in his essay, Achebe does not touch the crucial parody of the proprieties of established order that mask corruption in all societies, black and white, even though it is essential, to Harris, it seems to be a perception of catastrophe behind the dignified personae monoliths wear. In this context, not just to talk about conquistadorial monoliths but of mankind the hunter whose folklore is death; mankind the ritualist who sacrifices female children to maintain the symmetry of males, or mankind who once plucked the heart from the breast of a living victim to feed the sun. With these distortions of the human mask set their teeth upon African characters like an initiation ceremony at the heart of the Bush to bite deep as well into the European conquistador Kurtz (89).To further support his claim, Harris is convinced himself that there is a movement of transition in complex area in 20th century literature beyond parody, where he gives two examples. First one, ''Wole Soyinkas masterpiece The Road is influenced by Conrad in that the unscrupulous professor is psychically related to Kurtz with the profound distinctiondissolution of the mask or persona conferred by the savage god, Ogun, in contradistinction to Kurtzs totalitarian loss of soul within the rigidity of the mask conferred by the hubris of material bias'' (90). The second example is possible transition through and beyond post-Conradian legacies is a remarkable asymmetric American fiction by the black writer Jean Toomer in his book Cane. It was published in 1923, which contains a series of half-fictions, half-plays shot through by a stream of consciousness and lyrical moments as well as by short interludes or poems. The characters are clothed in property and landscapes they wear bizarre roots and masks which suggests an unfreedom of personality. This perception is not psychic but behavioristic which may begin to undermine the polarization since it is competent seeing them not of the way they are, in form of strength, but for what essentially they are: separation of community divided against each other. He enriches his claim with expert testimony, such as: ''The novel from Conrad inherited was conditioned by a homogeneous cultural logic to promote a governing principle that would sustain all parties, all characterization, in endeavoring to identify natural justice, natural conscience behind the activity of a culture'' (87). Harris uses inductive logic to prove his claim of value because he wants to prove that Chinua Achebe is wrong and that Heart of Darkness is not a racist book but a frontier novel. In order to do that he needs good arguments which are going to be stronger than ones which Chinua Achebe stated. Wilson Harris is known for his broad vision and the abstract complexity style. First, he wrote poetry, and was also well-known novelist and essayist. He had been awarded honorary doctorates by several universities, University of the West Indies (1984), and University of Lige (2001). He was twice a winner of the Guyana Prize for Literature and of Premio Mondello Five Continents Asia Prize. He remains one of the most respected and influential Caribbean artist of last 50 years, and one of the most original and innovative voices in postwar literature in English. Harris appeals to his audience motivationally on several different levels. His tone is respectful and formal in manner of address to the American, African and European people. Harris appeals to the real understanding of Heart of Darkness criticizing Chinua Achebes ''An Image of Africa.'' Harris cannot accept that such a great work like Heart of Darkness is being accused as a racist book. He provides a real understanding of the book which is not racism. This article endows with stated warrants, such as: ''It is in this respect that I find it possible to view Heart of Darkness as a frontier novel. By that I mean that it stands upon a threshold of capacity to which Conrad pointed though he never attained that capacity himself'' (87). Even though author uses stated warrant he also uses unstated warrants to show what he actually means. Although Harris gives very good arguments against the Achebes work, in one way it can be said like he is saying ''everybody is a little bit racist, so deal with it Achebe.'' Also he implements logical fallacies; Harris oversimplifies with the form of a novel, saying that most writers, whether they are black or white, write like Conrad does and they are not accused of being racist. Harris uses concrete language in his ''Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' to convince his audience of American and European people to show that the book is not a racist book. He uses no humor; instead he uses serious sources from the book to support his claim. Harris uses vocabulary appropriate for his audience which is very understandable. Harris uses no obvious clichs. Harris uses combination of short, long, declarative and complex sentences to persuade his audience.In my view, Harriss ''The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' would have been very effective for his audience of American and European people. He uses a lot of examples from the book and from the Achebes article to prove that Achebe is wrong saying that Heart of Darkness is a racist book. I like the fact that he called this novella as a frontier novella, in the sense that Conrad, by means of irony, shows the discourse of colonization to be biased and insufficient, but does not offer a new discourse. I think that what Conrad wanted to show is his picture of Africa and what was happening in the time when he was writing it, he did not wanted to offend anybody, especially African people. Conrads skepticism keeps him from offering any new perspectives. Harris argues that such new material has been forthcoming in more recent literature, including a search for spiritual meaning and for the value of words, as well as models of multicultural and individualist societies. Also according to him, Conrad spent all his energy in exposing the illusions of imperialist rhetoric and subsequently suffered from ''exhaustion of spirit that has frozen genius and made it impossible for him to cross the frontier upon his intuitive imagination had arrived.'' Text was persuasive enough because, other than using statistics, he also used quotes from the Achebes article and from the book explaining them. Wilson Harriss in the ''Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' tried to explain and oppose to Chinua statement that the book Heart of Darkness is a racist book. In the next article ''A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad'' by Cedric Watts is also opposing to Achebes view of this book agreeing with Wilson Harris and consuming his own argument from the book. In Cedric Wattss ''A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad,'' (2009), Wattss concern is about criticizing Achebes declaration that the Heart of Darkness is a racist book. Watts supports his claim by using Achebes arguments and explaining them in his own view. Wattss purpose is to defend Heart of Darkness and to discuss the criteria involved. Watts establishes a formal tone with his audience of African and European citizens in order to show them that the book is not racist.

Watts interest is in the defending the book claiming that, ''I have long regarded Heart of Darkness as one of the greatest works of fiction, and have felt that part of its greatness lies in the power of its criticisms of racial prejudice. In this essay I attempt to defend Conrads tale from some of his structures and discuss the criteria involved'' (196). This is a claim of value, because Watts wants to prove that Achebe is wrong regarding this book. To support his claim he is saying, that the lecture which Achebe had about this book was variously cool, mocking, sarcastic, and angry, and disconcerting enough. He is also stating that ''Achebe is black and I am white; he argues that whites have long overpraised Heart of Darkness precisely because it reflects their racial prejudice, whereas he sees clearly: he resembles the boy who declares that the Emperor has no clothes. There seems to be an insinuation, as Achebe proceeds, that whites are disqualified on racial grounds from judging the text.'' He asked Lewis Nkosi, the black playwright and critic, is he agreed with Achebe that Conrad was a racist. He answers quoting Marlows most telling observations: ''The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.'' He also uses Achebes main claims, which are, Conrad, in the 'offensive and totally deplorable' Heart of Darkness, has won the claim of white readers by pandering to their prejudices: Conrad dramatizes Africa as 'a place of negations in comparison with which Europes own state of spiritual grace will be manifest'. The blacks are dehumanized and degraded, seen as grotesquesis guilty of liberalism, which entails a paternalist form of racialism'' (197). He also states that the ''part of the time the tale suggests the familiar notion, the Africa offers the primitive basis from which European culture has fortunately evolved; but against this plays the notion that Africa offers the raw and vigorous truth which has been adulterated and concealed by European culture; and sometimes the tale offers a third possibility, the suggestion of cultural equivalence between the two regions'' (200). One more important quote to support his claim is ''the most saddening part of Achebes attack comes when, while conceding that the tale contains 'advanced and humane views', he proceeds to treat those views as though they are, after all, retrograde and inhumane: he talks rather sneeringly of 'liberalism' and defines it in such a way as to imply that it entails or supports racial intolerance.'' He also states that the Heart of Darkness has many paradoxes and that it has ethnical direction saying that Achebe and Conrad are on the same side. Each man is most fully present in his own best literary work, and the Conrad of Heart of Darkness is the brother of the Achebe of Things Fall Apart. He supports this with argument: ''though there are distinctive between their approaches, both Conrad and Achebe employ a narrative technique which, basically realistic, has an impressionistic vividness and, partly through deliberate patterning of incident the large historical process and the viewpoint of the individual caught up in, and not fully comprehending, that process; the view of the native, intersected by the view of the white invader'' (205). To further support his claim he uses data, such as, Achebes another work Things Fall Apart where is shown that Achebe is capable of discriminations. According to Tzveten Todorov, the meaning of the text is that there is no meaning, and in Criticism and Ideology by Terry Eagleton claims that message of Heart of Darkness is that Western civilization is at base as barbarous as African society. In 'Janiform Novels' Watts claimed that it is becoming fashionable for critics to reduce complex works to binary oppositions asserting that each text is self-contradictory. To support his claim he uses expert testimony, ''To account for this, I have suggested previously that the moral value of literary works may lie in their dialectical rather than their exemplary force: in the vigour of their challenges to moral presuppositions rather than in their commendation of any readily- paraphrasable and acceptable moral position'' (207). ''That Conrad should, in 1899, have treated the blacks with considerable humanity strikes me as admirable, but I suspect that the tales high status does not (or should not) depend on that humanity; the belief that it does confuses fiction with other forms of discourse (for example, the sermon or the political tract); and this is not to imply that literature is 'above' morality or politics, but merely to indicate that literature is morally and politically more complex that are such forms'' (208). Watts uses inductive logic to prove his claim of value because he wants to prove that Achebes statement is ridiculous and in one way in writing he is similar to Conrad. Cedric Watts served in the Royal Navy in 1956-1958. He was an exhibitioner at Pembroke College, Cambridge graduating with a First in English. Also he took his M.A and Ph.D at Cambridge University. He became a lecturer at Sussex University. From 2002 to 2011 he was a Research Professor of English. In 2011 he became an Emeritus Professor of English.Watts appeals to his audience motivationally on several different levels. His tone is respectful and formal in the manner of address to the American, Africans, and European people. He uses figurative language in order to prove his claim. He appeals to a real understanding of the book criticizing Achebes arguments and offering a real point of this book. Watts cannot accept that Heart of Darkness is being accused as a great work. He provides an enhanced understanding of this book saying that the history of literary criticism should teach us about principles, prejudices and procedures. This article endows with stated warrants, such as: ''Conrad was able to show some valuable features of European civilization (notably the complex and humane outlook represented by Marlow) while condemning its hubris, its rapacity, and its refusal to accept an equilibrium with the environment, and while noting its male dominance. Achebe was able to show the valuable features of tribal society (the solidarity and the continuity of social ritual which preserved the equilibrium of man with his environment) while noting its cruelties (the killing of twins and the murder of hostages like Ikemefuna) and its injustices (that concept of 'female' or involuntary crime, and the subjugation of the womenfolk)'' (206). ''Conrad shows the subversion of white norms by Africans energies; Achebe shows the subversion of black norms by European energies. Both writers protest against mans inhumanity to man, and their definitions of that inhumanity are strikingly congruent'' (206). In his criticism of Heart of Darkness, Achebes premise is that a literary work is good if it implies recommendations which he regards as humane, and bad (however great its incidental merits) if it implies recommendations which he regards as inhumane. I have so far attempted to argue that by his own criterion Heart of Darkness is good'' (206). Even though the author uses stated warrants, he also uses unstated warrants to show what the author actually means. Watts does not have any other idea how to convince audience that Achebe is wrong and that this book is really a great work. He also implements logical fallacies, he assumes that everybody will understand the importance of Heart of Darkness and what it represents. Watts uses concrete language in his ''A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad'' to convince his audience of American, African and European people that Heart of Darkness is a great work. He does not use humor, but he uses quotes from Achebes articles An Image of Africa and Things Fall Apart to support his claim. Watts uses vocabulary appropriate to his audience which is very understandable. Watts uses no obvious clichs. Watts uses a combination of short, long, declarative and complex sentences to persuade his audience.In my view, Wattss ''A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad'' would have been very effective for his audience of African, American and European citizens. He uses a lot of sources such as, Achebes arguments in An Image of Africa, and Things Fall Apart. Actually this article was to some extend right because in my opinion it did not have enough arguments and they were not enough strong to support his claim. But I agree with some points from this article, such as that Achebe and Conrad are stating for the same thing but in different context and after all Achebe accuses Conrad of being racist. I also liked the fact that he was clear what he wanted to prove but it would be more effective if he had used more statistics. This article wanted to defend Heart of Darkness of every accusation comparing and contrasting with the other statements and other works. But in the next ''Conrads Critique of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness'' by Hunt Hawkins it is proven to some extend that the Heart of Darkness is about imperialism. In Hunt Hawkinss ''Conrads Critique of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness,'' (1978), Hawkinss concern is to examine Conrads extremely complex, and understood critique of imperialism in Heart of Darkness. Hawkins supports his claim by using examples from the book and quotes from the other authors. Hawkinss purpose is to show that this book is about imperialism. Hawkins establishes a formal tone with his audience of American and European citizens in order to show them the real meaning of Heart of Darkness.''Today many students of history, as well as of literature, read the novel Joseph Conrad set in the Congo of 1890. In our era of decolonization, they are interested because the story is one of fictions strongest statements about imperialism. Of course, the novel has other important themes, both psychological and metaphysical. But the theme of imperialism is obvious and central'' (286). This is a claim of value because he wants to prove that the book is about imperialism because it is obvious with the examples of the book. To support his claim he points out that the aim of this essay is to examine and understand the critique of imperialism in Heart of Darkness. To further support his claim he states: ''In Heart of Darkness Conrad selected two explicit criteria- efficiency and the 'idea'- to judge imperialism. On the basis of both external and internal evidence we can show that the author himself did not ultimately espouse these values. Nonetheless, he chooses them because they were widely In the subtext of Heart of Darkness Conrad suggests a further judgment against British imperialism itself, but this judgment is made according to entirely different criteria and remains implicit'' (288). Heart of Darkness is full of details suggesting the particular inefficiency of Leopolds rule. There is also example where is shown in details which is absurd how the absence in the Congo of a standard monetary system, a necessity for free trade and the development of a consumer population is being paid for its work (291-292). Second example is how Leopold acted against British interests concerns his suppression of free trade (292). He also states that ''Heart of Darkness reflects Leopolds move against free trade in 1890, particularly the conflict between the state and the Dutch company'' (292). ''In Heart of Darkness Marlow is essentially sympathetic to the Africans. Although using the language of his time, he calls them 'niggers' and 'savages,' he feels that, unlike the imperialists, 'they wanted no excuse for being there' Finally, he does what he can to help them when he gives his biscuit to the man in the 'grove of death' and when he blows his whistle to prevent the Africans from being shot by the 'pilgrims'. Marlow feels most positive toward those Africans who have been extensively detribalized by imperialism'' (296). The helmsman is a still more extreme case. Unlike the cannibals who keep their composure during the attack on the steamer The European conquerors sundered the tribes to make Africans serve alien material aims. In doing so, Conrad indicates, imperialism destroyed the cultural integrity not only of Africa but of Europe as well'' (296). To further support his claim he is also using data, such as, The Political Novels of Joseph Conrad (1963) by Eloise Knapp Hay, Avrom Fleishman in Conrads Politics (1967). Hawkins uses several quotes from historians, writers, to support his claim by using expert testimony. ''In Heart of Darkness Conrad reveals two other aspects of Leopolds rule offensive to the British, not just morally but also materially. The first involves the Eldorado Exploring Expedition, which Marlow sees pass through the Central Station. The second revelation in Heart of Darkness of how Leopold acted against British interests concerns his suppression of free trade'' (292). Hawkins uses inductive logic to prove his claim of value to show that the Heart of Darkness is about imperialism. In order to do that he uses a lot of examples from the book. Hunt Hawkins earned his B.A. from Williams College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa, and M.A and Ph.D. from Stanford University. His academic specializations are Modern British Literatrue, Postcolonial Literature and poetry writing. He has published many articles, poems and two books: Teaching Approaches to Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer and The Domestic Life with the University of Pittsburg Press. He has served as President of the Joseph Conrad Society, the South Atlantic Graduate Education Consortium, the South Atlantic Association of Departments of English, and the South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Hawkins appeals to his audience motivationally on several different levels. His tone is respectful and formal in the manner of address to the American and European citizens. He appeals to real understanding of imperialism in Heart of Darkness using persuasive tone. He is also using figurative language in order to prove his point. Hawkins cannot accept that it is not obvious that Heart of Darkness is an imperialistic book. He provides an understanding of imperialism and explaining some quote from the book which were interpreted in other words by other authors. This article supports his claim with stated warrants, such as: ''Nonetheless, we should observe that Heart of Darkness inspired the reformers who eventually ended Leopolds rule. On 7 October 1909 E.D. Morel, head of the Congo Reform Association, wrote A. Conan Doyle, a member, that Conrads story was the 'most powerful thing ever written on the subject' '' (293). Although the author uses stated warrants to prove his claim, he also uses unstated warrants. He does not know in which way and how to convince audience that the book is about imperialism because it is so obvious. He also implements logical fallacies, Hawkins assumes that everybody will agree on this point with him, that the book is about imperialism. Hawkins uses concrete language in his ''Conrads Critique of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness'' to convince his audience of European and American people that the book Heart of Darkness is about imperialism. He does not use humor, but he uses sources from the book which are serious. Hawkins uses vocabulary appropriate for his audience which is very understandable. Hawkins uses no obvious clichs. Hawkins uses a combination of short, long, declarative and complex sentences to persuade his audience.In my view I find this article the strongest one when it comes to talk about the meaning of Heart of Darkness. I liked the fact that its used a lot of data, statistic in using to prove claim, also every detail which was accused of something from the book in this article it was defended with very strong statements and use of language. I agree with Hawkinss statement that this book is about imperialism, Conrad wrote was he seen, and because of that he was accused of being a racist person. Everybody should interpret the book as they see it, but this one was just so clear and the only one actually was not good because it consisted of truth.The purpose of this article was to show how the book Heart of Darkness is being interpreted in different ways and it consisted of different opinions. It was being accused as racist book, as terroristic book, and then some of the author sees it as the great piece of work and that the main idea of it is imperialism. The first one who accused Joseph Conrad of being racist is Chinua Achebes in his ''An Image of Africa,'' where the main concern is about the novels characterization and its portraits of African people. With this article he tried to convince audience that the Heart of Darkness is not an outstanding work as most of people think. He had one strong argument for this accusation which was the description of an African people. Frances B. Singh supports Chinua Achebes ''An Image of Africa'', in her article ''Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness''. She also uses characterization of Africans to supports her claim. She argued that the book is terrorist because it contributes to human right. Wilson Harris in his ''The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands'' responded to Achebes accusation saying that he has been mistaken. He used the Achebes description of an African people to show that Conrad described just what he saw and that the novel is a frontier novel. The other one article which is defending Heart of Darkness is in ''A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad'' by Cedric Watts. His purpose is to defend the book, saying that it is one of the greatest works of fiction. He also uses Achebes arguments to criticize and to defend the book. He also uses two articles of Achebe, An Image of Africa and Things Fall Apart. Another author that is defending the book is Hunt Hawkins in his ''Conrads Critique of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness''. His defense is that Heart of Darkness is about imperialism, and not of what is being accused of. He supports his statement with evidence from the book and using the time in which this book was written. He explains Leopolds rule and the way of imperialism. Achebes ''An Image of Africa'' and ''Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness'' by Frances B. Singh, would have been very effective for the audience of American, African and European citizens. In this case I have to disagree with Achebe and Singh, even though I like some of the Singhs arguments. Achebes arguments were to some point very weak, he just focused on characterization of African people. While Singh in her article uses a lot of statistics, data, examples from the book, and statements to support her claim. Although I like some points that she has pointed out I do not agree with her. At this point agree with Wilson Harris, Hunt Hawkins and Cedric Watts that the Heart of Darkness is a great piece of work and it is about imperialism. I like the fact that they have seen the real meaning of Heart of Darkness and that it should be understood as what was happening in the time when was written, which is not something to be proud of, but we should see it as a lesson to respect other people no mater on their skin color. Were these texts effective and is it going to change opinion of other people who are going to read Heart of Darkness one day? I do not know, but it is certain that a great book like this has so much interest and so many critics. Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. An Image of Africa. Research in African Literature, Indiana University Press,

2007. Web. 3. May2012

British Council. ''Literature: Wilson Harris.'' Literature. British council.org. Web. 4. May2012

Department of African Studies, Brown University. Web. 3. May2012 Department of English, University of South Florida. Web. 10. May2012

Harris, Wilson. The Frontier on Which Heart of Darkness Stands. Research in African

Literatures, Indiana University Press, 2011. Web. 4. May2012

Hawkins, Hunt. Conrads Critique of Imperialism in Heart of Darkness. Modern Language Association, 2008. Web. 10. May2012 Partial Answers, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. Web. 13. May2012 Singh, Frances. Terror, Terrorism, and Horror in Conrads Heart of Darkness. Hostos Community College/ CUNY, 2007. Web. 13. May2012 University of Sussex, United Kingdom. Web. 14. May2012

Watts, Cedric. A Bloody Racist: About Achebes View of Conrad. The Yearbook of English Studies, Indiana University Press, 2009. Web. 14. May2012