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Stereotypical Civilization - Papers Online

Stereotypical Civilization

West Europeans should not judge Africans by West European standards. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the main character, Charles Marlow is an explorer from the western world. Marlow tells his story of going to Africa, and he makes it clear that he went expecting completely inhumane and violent natives. He later reveals that they showed restraint and that he respects this. As Marlow gets to know a few of the natives, he learns that his preconceptions belittled a race that not only demonstrates restraint, but is also treated poorly. His preconception of the natives being "savages" is a perfect example of western stereotypes and prejudices.
Marlow’s mistake, of judging someone he ...

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missed out on a potential friendship.
On account of their having no basis in reality, all preconceptions are wrong. As Marlow can surely attest, having a slanted conception disproved can be a hard truth to accept. Marlow goes into the darkness of Africa with the belief that the natives are savages, but seeing the starving natives chained to trees forces him to discard his idea that they are savages. He actually feeds one of the slaves. He constantly marvels at their restraint, which went against the stories he had heard in Europe. At certain points he even seems to realize that his own men show little restraint because of their greed and prejudices.
Africa is more civilized than the West because everything they do is in the interest of survival, not greed. The west’s explorations are generally for a marketable commodity, such as ivory. Marlow’s quest is for Kurtz but he was only sent on the search because Kurtz is good at finding ivory and his employers wanted him back for ...

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Stereotypical Civilization. (2007, October 20). Retrieved June 15, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Stereotypical-Civilization/73035

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"Stereotypical Civilization." Essayworld.com. October 20, 2007. Accessed June 15, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Stereotypical-Civilization/73035.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/20/2007 11:06:09 PM
Category: World History
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 668
Pages: 3

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