Abstract
The so called ‘dark’ continent of Africa had a tenacious hold upon the European imagination. From the fifth century to the present, the mind of Europe has found Africa both fascinating and repellent. It is most familiar as a form of landscape as seen in the description of a journey into the interior Africa in Joseph Conrad’s novel “Heart of Darkness”. The Africa that is seen in such a description is characterized by impenetrable forests, throbbing drums, sudden sunsets, black water fever and primitive customs. This is an Africa, which has no meaning and no coherence and is in fact the ‘heart of darkness’. Thus, unlike the African society in “Heart of Darkness”, which is portrayed as having developed no culture, the African society in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” has an admirable civilization. The language of the African characters in “Things Fall Apart” cannot be described as babbling or animal like in any way. On the contrary, it is very effective medium for communicating the beautiful way of life that is portrayed in the novel. The dichotomous representation of Africa in Conrad and Achebe reinforces the idea that reality, after all, is a construct made possible by the discourses validating it. The fictional account of Africa by Conrad and Achebe could be placed into opposite poles, one feeding on the dominant colonial stereotypes about the continent and the other trying to liberate it from the colonial vituperation to which it was a victim for a long time.
Presenters
Alvin JosephAssistant Professor, English, St. George's College Aruvithura, Kerala, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
AFRICA, COLONIALISM, CULTURE, FICTION
