To What Extent Do Heart of Darkness and Animal Farm Show Political Systems to Be Inevitably Corrupting of Individuals?
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- Date Submitted: 02/04/2015 11:13 AM
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“To What Extent Do Heart Of Darkness and Animal Farm Show Political Systems To Be Inevitably Corrupting Of Individuals”
‘Heart Of Darkness’ largely shows political systems as being capable of corrupting the individuals who are placed under it. ‘Heart Of Darkness’ is set in 1890, and is based on the author, Joseph Conrad’s journey to the Congo and an assumption can therefore be made that Conrad creates the character of Marlow to show his journey, and what he experienced. It can be argued that whilst in the main ‘Heart Of Darkness’ shows colonialism in an unfavourable light: as a force which gives too much power to people causing them to become corrupt and eventually embark upon a crusade to gain more power. On one hand Marlow is subtly shown to be dismayed by much of the cruelty and oppression he sees whilst he is journeying through the Congo. This is exemplified through his breakdown at the end of the novel when his aunt attempts to “nurse up… strength,” showing that his encounter with Kurtz and the journey through the Congo has really damaged his mental state, perhaps through “the horror.” ’Animal Farm’ is set in an unspecified time period, but alludes to the Russian Revolution of 1917. As Alev Yemenici says, “Animal Farm is an animal satire through which Orwell indirectly attacks on the Russian Communism, on Stalinism,” The story unfolds in the English setting of Manor Farm where a communist like power takeover is affected by animals, some of whom take on the characteristics of their former and unsympathetic human owners. Both texts show the temptations that those who rise to power in political systems often give in to, and how once the line is crossed into corruption its hard to step back.
The abuse of power by Europeans on Africans is seen as soon as Marlow’s boat reaches the coast of West Africa. When the battleships were seen by Marlow to be, “firing into a continent,” this sends a message to the reader about the cruelty to expect as Marlow travels deeper...
‘Heart Of Darkness’ largely shows political systems as being capable of corrupting the individuals who are placed under it. ‘Heart Of Darkness’ is set in 1890, and is based on the author, Joseph Conrad’s journey to the Congo and an assumption can therefore be made that Conrad creates the character of Marlow to show his journey, and what he experienced. It can be argued that whilst in the main ‘Heart Of Darkness’ shows colonialism in an unfavourable light: as a force which gives too much power to people causing them to become corrupt and eventually embark upon a crusade to gain more power. On one hand Marlow is subtly shown to be dismayed by much of the cruelty and oppression he sees whilst he is journeying through the Congo. This is exemplified through his breakdown at the end of the novel when his aunt attempts to “nurse up… strength,” showing that his encounter with Kurtz and the journey through the Congo has really damaged his mental state, perhaps through “the horror.” ’Animal Farm’ is set in an unspecified time period, but alludes to the Russian Revolution of 1917. As Alev Yemenici says, “Animal Farm is an animal satire through which Orwell indirectly attacks on the Russian Communism, on Stalinism,” The story unfolds in the English setting of Manor Farm where a communist like power takeover is affected by animals, some of whom take on the characteristics of their former and unsympathetic human owners. Both texts show the temptations that those who rise to power in political systems often give in to, and how once the line is crossed into corruption its hard to step back.
The abuse of power by Europeans on Africans is seen as soon as Marlow’s boat reaches the coast of West Africa. When the battleships were seen by Marlow to be, “firing into a continent,” this sends a message to the reader about the cruelty to expect as Marlow travels deeper...