Joseph Conard’s “Heart Of Darkness” Is Not Fiction It Is White Supremacist Filth!
Yesterday, I finished writing a journal entry for an English course. The book I was forced to read for English was Joseph Conrad’s white supremacist novel “Heart Of Darkness”. Conard wrote the book after he traveled to work in the Congo in the late nineteenth century. My question is, why are black students subjected to reading this white supremacy? Conard’s novel is not even a novel it is poorly written and it is pure garbage.
I am cognizant of the fact “Heart Of Darkness” was published in the year 1899 a few years prior to the “scramble for Africa.”
In the Congo, King Leopold of Belguim II was a tyrannical leader he ordered the hands of African children be amputated if they did not work for the Belgians
In fact, the modern human rights movement emerged because in the early 1900s, people were horrified at King Leopold’s brutality against African people.
However, this is the year 2010, and this is book is just not acceptable.
The Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe is correct ,Conard’s poorly written “fiction” is simply a book that promotes the hatred of black people. The N word is repeated a gazillion times in the book. The terms “savages”, and other abhorrent language is utilized to describe people of African descent. I have to ask the question, what the hell was my white professor thinking? I guess because my English professor has white male skin privilege he is not cognizant of the fact this novel is hurtful. “Heart of Darkness” is not fiction and I should not have to be subjected to reading this crap!
I am going to contact the English department tomorrow and enquire if there are rules about racial sensitivity? I want “Heart of Darkness” banned. No black person should be subjected to reading this monstrosity!
I am not like some black students in university. I am the kind of person I speak up, I am a very passionate person and I will rise up against racism!
I am not a “house negro” it is so pathetic being around black students that try so hard to kiss the white asses of the professors! I understand that a university student wants to get a good grade. However, what about having dignity, integrity, and self-respect? I will not rest until I find out what is the procedure to complain about having this book removed ASAP!
Gayblackcanada 
You have completely missed the point of Heart of Darkness.
No Annan, we agree to disagree I read Heart Of Darkness and the book is just white supremacist garbage it is not literature.
all black people should read the book. heart of darkness is a crucial document about power and “dominant group” notions about “civilization”. the object of the story is not to help with the colonial endeavor, but it does, unwittingly, reveal the assumptions at the heart of that endeavor. not only should black people read the work – to learn what is hidden behind certain versions of “civilization” – but a case may be made that conrad’s heart of darkness is essential reading for black people in a way it is not for whites. to ban it would be to disarm blacks, not whites.
also: heart of darkness very much IS literature. you must have some notion that “literature” is made up of nice-thinking work. it isn’t. (the writing of virginia woolf, for instance, contains class assumptions that are as wretched as conrad’s) in its context (that is, 20th century european literature), conrad’s language – though i find it really annoying – is experimental and is part of the re-thinking about literary language that happened with the modernists.
No Andre, I strongly disagree, black people we should not be subjected to this white supremacist garbage! Anyone that calls this book “literature” is a racist and is someone that is insensitive to the injustices African people had to endure in Africa!
Joseph Conrad is a white supremacist and this book is white supremacy this book is not a novel. Yes, I know the book was published in the year 1899. However, it is clear to me that the racists are trying to tell black people we should “accept” this book as literature. I will NOT accept this racist piece of crap! I will not accept a book that dehumanizes my ancestors, my history, my culture, and my people!
I think you completely missed the point of this novel. It is more about hypocricies of Imperialism and some of the results thereof. More so it delves into the knowledge that the book openly, but subtly explains the core and creation of evil.
I think overall, you need to reread the novel and explore the possiblities of its’ symbolism and its’ appraisal of the bravery and lifestyle of opressed minorities.
It is meant to teach you the value of humanity and the irony surrounding enslavement and ignorance. Even the term of light was not suggesting goodness, which is why this book is known for its’ irony. Darkness and Light are not surface value. If you think Joseph Conrad is a white supremist, think again. In fact, for his time period, he was mocked for the stance he took in order to protect his ideals that bigotry was indeed wrong.
He was insulting Europeans, not condoning them. Dehumanization was what the main character was consistently appalled by.SATIRE. It is a rhetoric used in highschool. Look it up.
Symbolism such as the river, eyes, haze, light, darkness were all things that should have rung a bell, but obviously did not for you. Take this all into consideration when realizing he was using satirical rhetorics to condemn the notions of European enslavement and dehumanization.
I just wrote a 12-page thesis paper on this book, and I’m honestly sick of people judging this novel through a 21st century looking glass. You must understand that this book was written in a time where “the n word” was culturally acceptable. If anything Conrad was insulting the European people. Look more deeply, the only time Conrad refers to a African using a now racially unacceptable word is after they have been dehumanized by the Europeans. Look at the story of Fresleven. Conrad refers to the chief as “Chief” (a term which is respectful and upholding his dignity) until he is beaten by the unjust aggressor (Fresleven), then he is referred to as “the beaten old n*****”. By calling him that, Conrad is SATIRIZING the European viewpoint of race.
Let me also point out that historically, Conrad was an extremely liberal man. He no doubt would have been strongly against racism. His work is a satire of the European worldview, and if you take time to read below to surface you would be able to see that. In Conradian literature, light doesn’t always mean “goodness”. In fact, in Heart of Darkness, light is used to denote that something is hidden under the surface, something deceitful, something dangerous. The river, eyes, the haze, and EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION are all described in this manner.
If I may be so bold as to direct you to one of the works I cited, please feel free to read “The Rescue: Conrad, Achebe, and the Critics” by Padmini Mongia.
I am cognizant of the fact “Heart of Darkness” was written in the year 1899.
You call the novel a satire of the Europeans I just see the novel as poorly written and pure garbage.
This book is trash. My argument is why do I have to read this piece
shit?
There should be choice for black students we should not be subjected to reading this racist piece of anti black novels!
I don’t like the book and I believe it is a racist piece of filth. Just because Conrad wrote the book over 100 years ago doesn’t mean it isn’t a piece of white supremacist garbage.
I also believe it is easy for people that are NOT black to say this book is literature. Well, it is not your ancestors that are dehumanized in this novel it is my ancestors! I agree with the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe
this novel is racist and anti black.
I’m reading this book right now in my Senoir Composition class. This book is not racist at all. It deals with racism and how the main character, who IS NOT racist deals with it happeneing around him. Please read deeper than the word nigger. Which by most means, now a days, is no longer an unacceptable term, because it is used everywhere. So please quit your incestant bitching.
I belive every man and child should have to read the book it shows where the spooks came from it shows where there roots lay and so shows the true nature of the blacks today whites need to be more aware of the racial issuses and stop kissin the niggers asses cuase the media tells us its wrong when do u ever here them say the black panthers are wrong or any thing wake up ppl the whites are in a war and half them don’t know it the other half is laying down and taking it
“Anyone that calls this book “literature” is a racist and is someone that is insensitive to the injustices African people had to endure in Africa!”
You’re going label someone as a racist just based one single fact that you about them, which in this case is enjoying or appreciating a novel?
Sort of like judging someone based on the color of their skin?
I respect that you are a passionate, outspoken person but that doesn’t give you permission to be pissed off at everyone around you that doesn’t line up with your views.
Your icon is a person yelling angrily. By presenting this image to the world you are painting a picture of yourself of not being a rational person or one who works towards a goal of understanding and peace. Just one of someone who wants a lot of attention.
Ah, the horror, the horror – of someone who just doesn’t understand the truth of quality literature.
to elaborate:
Kurtz, was created as a martyr figure (vaguely contradictory though) – he became, essentially, one of the Congo’s people; and is a sympathetic character. He is condemned by the society but loved by Marlow, and he comes to realize the terror (“the horror”) of what has happened in the colonization of ‘the dark continent’ -in his realization he is redeemed and in his death he becomes a martyr. Because the reader is sympathetic to him, the novel is not racist – to believe he is racist is to believe that the people of the Congo themselves are racist, and is to misread the novel.
The racist language is simply jargon, and reinforces the attitude of Marlow pre-Kurtz.
The book is an examination of the decaying of human soul through racism and cruelty.