The Role of Women in Heart of Darkness - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1334 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Heart of Darkness Essay Did you like this example? In Joseph Conradrs Heart of Darkness, despite the disparaging comments made about women, numerous feminine figures in the story display or exercise a more notable amount of power than the male characters. Joseph Conradrs, Heart of Darkness, discusses social issues such as racism, sexism, and corruption. The power possessed by the female characters closely relates to how paramount these women are in the development of the story and plot. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Role of Women in Heart of Darkness" essay for you Create order Initially, Marlow commences by referring to female characters found in the story as girls and does not call them women. Those who oppose could not find any importance behind this. With this in mind, Marlowrs comments demonstrates an automatic response from the male sex to view women as infantile or miniscule. Furthermore, a vast number of females are interchangeable as the female stand- in. Some readers refer to this as Conrad demeaning those women and making them seem as secondary character. Marlow speaks Girl! What! Did I mention a girl? Oh, she is out of it†completely. They†the women I mean†are out of it†should be out of it (Conrad 108). Those women are being diminished and their role of power is being stripped from them, not only in Joseph Conradrs Heart of Darkness, but the world in which they lived in at the time. During the Victorian Period, women did not live as well as their male counterparts. Women during this time lived in the shadow of their men. I n most cases, they were thought of as weaker, fragile, or slower. Furthermore, the Victorian Period was vastly what would be referred to as a patriarchal society. Patri- derives from the Latin word pater-, meaning father. Patriarchy is a social system in which a male-dominated power structure takes place. For instance, women did not obtain the right to vote, that not happening until years later. Women were not allowed to own property, but men could possess as much as he longed for. To sum up, it is a system in which men have more power than women, men have some level of privilege to which women are not entitled. Ironically, power never works in a way we think it does. For example, The Victorian Period was a social culture. People relied extravagant parties, wealth, and social status. Men were mainly responsible for getting things done and lots of women married to high-ranking, influential men. Therefore, these doing demonstrated that although women were seen as minute, they had held most power. As previously stated, women are portrayed as secondary characters in Heart of Darkness. However, those women who seemed to at first have little to no power, represent more than initially thought when further analyzing the female character. To begin, Marlowrs aunt is introduced. Marlow begins to speak and displays sentiment about women through his attitude toward his aunt by saying Itrs queer how out of touch with truth women are. They live in a world of their own. (Conrad ) the aunt holds a significant amount of power. It is because of that women that Marlow is headed towards Africa. With that being said, Marlow later reveals how he obtained his employment as a steamboat pilot. He reveals that he tried the women and set the women to work to get a job (Conrad). Marlowrs aunt shows much enthusiasm towards her nephew and would love to give him a hand. Marlow is indifferent and would only respect his aunt if she can obtain employment for him. Therefore, with her power, his aunt was able to successfully get him a job. Not Marlow, but his aunt, a female, pulled it off better than he could ever and she is the only reason he had a job in the first place. To continue, the knitting women that appear in Heart of Darkness also are imperative to the plot. Marlow arrives at the Companyrs office where he comes face to face with two other women, who knitted black wool feverishly (Conrad). Additionally, Marlow describes the old women,She seemed to know all about them and about me, too. An eerie feeling came over me. She seemed uncanny and fateful (Conrad). The women only appear briefly but hold a symbolic meaning. The knitting women correspond to the Moirae the ancient Greek personifications of fate. These powerful women spin, measure, and cut the thread of life. The Fates, who were in the Companyrs office, were measuring Marlowrs life as he embarked on the journey. The Fates are immortal beings who have the ability to see every manrs fate, thus making them very powerful. Moreover, Kurtzrs African mistress plays a vital role in Heart of Darkness. Marlow beautifully described the women, She walked with measured steps, draped in striped and fringed cloths, treading the earth proudly, with a slight jingle and flash of barbarous ornaments.She carried her head high; her hair was done in the shape of a helmet; she had brass leggings to the knee, brass wire gauntlets to the elbow, a crimson spot on her tawny cheek, innumerable necklaces of glass beads on her neck (Conrad). From Marlowrs description of his African mistress, anyone can point out the powerful presences that she holds. She seems to have influence on Kurtz and has him hooked. Itrs ironic to think of the menrs way of thinking during this time, when they would refer to women as less. Men would never admit it, but men need women in more ways than one, and that could also work the other way around and women could need men. Nevertheless, from the detailed description given about the Kurtz mistress, a reader can easily point how much of a trance he is in while admiring her beauty. More often than not, that is all it takes to lure in men, is beauty and they will be in a trance and infatuated. That is where women hold power over the man and could get him to do anything. Notably, the Russian sailor recounts to Marlow how she got in one day and kicked up a row about I wasnt decent I fancy Kurtz felt too ill that day to care, or there would have been mischief (Conrad). From this textual evidence, it can be inferred that the mistress has power over her man and gets things done her way. Moreover, the final notable female character in Heart of Darkness is the Intended. The Intended was Kurtzrs fiance. Kurtzrs fiance waited for Kurtz in Belgium while Kurtz was in the Congo gathering ivory. Marlow later visits her more than a year after Kurtzrs death. Marlow describes their encounter by stating that She had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering (Conrad). His fiance seems to still be in mourning. Additionally, the Intended represents a symbol for colonialism. For example, she is utterly infatuated with Kurtz and only remembers the Kurtz that she knew not the one who did tasteless things. She recalls, I am proud to know I understood him better than any one on earth (93). This textual evidence shows how the Intended is the Europeans; they believe in the greatness of men like Kurtz without knowing the dark and hidden parts of their characters much as the mistress did when remembering Kurtz. To conclude, Heart of Darkness is a densely male dominated story which undermines women, yet women are paramount to the development of the plot. Marlowrs aunt, the knitting women, and Kurtzrs mistress all hold a grip and power of the men in Heart of Darkness. The protagonist, Marlow, often encounters these women at landmarks of his life. Marlow continous to believe women should stay in their own world and stay out of the manrs world. Even if this new lense of viewing the roles of the women in Heart of Darkness is not convincing enough it is intriguing to ponder and relate to this in this century and in real life. With this in mind, after further analyzing Heart of Darkness, the female character are far from powerless in this Conrad classic.

Music of the Civil War - 751 Words

The War Between the States was complex. If you wish to understand the events, you should refer to a textbook. Music of the time, however, helps us delve into peoples thoughts and opinions on the war, slavery, and many other important issues in our countrys history. Prior to the civil war, American music followed its European roots. During the civil war, American music began to develop in its own way, largely influenced by the music of the African-Americans. The war produced many well-known songs. These songs were important in their time and they are still known to many people today. Music was important to the Union and also to the Confederacy. The troops sang on battlefields, around campfires and while marching. They sang to†¦show more content†¦I chose John Browns Body because it expresses the abolitionist point of view. Dixies Land is an example of a song that, while written by a northerner, became extremely popular in the South. Music is an important aspect of life. It is used to express thoughts, opinions and feelings. During a time of war it can unite and incite. The music can commemorate important people and events. In times of sorrow it can comfort. Despite the differences between the North and the South, people shared a love of music, as well as a common musical culture. The music of the Civil War period illustrates the many uses of music during times ofShow MoreRelatedMusic in the Civil War600 Words   |  3 PagesMusic in the Civil War The North and the South both used music extensively during the Civil War. They used it to rally troops, to march by, as recreation, and many more reasons. When the soldiers would march off to war, they took a love of song that was divided among them. General Robert E. Lee once said, â€Å"Without music, there would have been no army, music is as indispensable to warfare as money.† Alot of the time the North and the South would borrow each others tunes and lyrics. 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In the 1930’s, Swing music created a platform for audiences to vent their emotions in the midst of Great Depression and political unrest. Such strong relationship between music and culture can be seen throughout history, especially inRead MoreIn the 1960s, People Turned to Music for Hope, Peace, and Happiness1215 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the 1960s and the early 1970s, music reflected the political and social changes that America was undergoing at the time. Some of these ma jor changes included the African-American civil rights movement and the conflict over America’s role in the Vietnam War. During these hard times, people turned to music for hope, peace, happiness and answers. The African-American civil rights movement was a cruel time for the African American race to endure due to the harsh discrimination and segregationRead MoreHistory of the Blues Essay1018 Words   |  5 Pages In one way shape or form Blues music has influenced almost every music artist and their work. Jazz and Blues gave way to such artists as Elvis Presley and Chuck Barry. The history and origins of Blues traces back many generations. Many articles have been written over the years helping readers better understand the history and importance of Blues music. All the articles have a similar attitude toward The Blues. Each article makes Blues Musics social and musical importance and impact blaringly

The Sunflower Free Essays

Melissa Torres Period: 2 2/9/13 The Sunflower Dear Simon Wiesenthal, After reading The Sunflower and having mixed emotions during this book I made my decision. â€Å"What would I have done? † I would have done the same thing you did. Just walk away from all of it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sunflower or any similar topic only for you Order Now I believe it would be a tough situation to think about and have a response to right then and there. Like Deborah says in her essay, â€Å"The question to be asked is not should the prisoner have forgiven the SS man but could the prisoner have forgiven him? This is obviously saying that no one has the right to forgive anyone on behalf of another. This request brings up several moral questions like, Is it alright to forgive someone who has done no harm to you? Can a person forgive someone on behalf of others? Can anyone really forgive anyone else, or is forgiveness in the hands of a higher power? The soldier asked you for his forgiveness just because you are a Jew, and in the soldiers mind, all Jews are equal. Even though you weren’t burned alive, shot dead, or in any other heinous acts in the concentration camps. How could his forgiveness, had he granted it, put the soldier at rest about the hundreds of Jews he has been a party to the murder of? I think you had no right to forgive the soldier. The soldier didn’t commit a crime against you personally, and for you to forgive him would have been an empty phrase with no meaning. The soldier should have asked for forgiveness between himself and all the Jews he murdered. Sven Alkalaj I like that Sven included in his essay what he went through in Bosnia. I agree with Sven that Simon made a good decision not forgiving the soldier. Just as Sven asks in his essay, â€Å"Who is entitled to speak on behalf of the victims? † Simon didn’t have much of a say just because they didn’t torture him. Just like Sven says, Simon was unsure if his response to the dying soldier was okay. It was hard for Simon to get over his response and wanted other peoples opinions on his decision. When the nurse attempts to give Simon some of the soldiers possessions. Simon refuses the package. It obviously shows that he didn’t want to do much with the soldiers. The holocaust was a horrible thing, and the killing of thousands of Jews was not okay. Forgetting the crimes would be worse than forgiving the criminal who seeks forgiveness† It is such a atrocious thing, its hard to forget and Sven said it would be bad to forget everything that happened. The Dalai Lama I don’t agree with Lama. He says â€Å"one should forgive the person or persons who have committed atrocities against oneself and mankind. † I am totally against what he says because forgiving the soldier would mean that Simon is okay with what he did. The soldier didn’t really care if the Jew was tortured or not because he just asked the nurse to find a random Jew. I felt like the soldiers apology was a lie and he just wanted to die in peace. But he doesn’t really deserve it after everything he did. Lama also says â€Å"but that is not the Buddhist way,† Lama’s culture is different and believes that forgiveness is okay. But if Simon was to forgive the soldier, it wouldn’t bring back any of the people he killed. The Jews he killed are piled up dead and accepting his apology isn’t going to change a thing. All the awful things that happened will always be in Simon’s mind. Melissa Torres Period: 6 The Sunflower In The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal the main character, Simon is put in an awkward situation and doesn’t really know how to deal with it. His development from the beginning of the book to the end of the book is kind of crazy. Towards the end of this book he realizes he made the right decision. Simon just needed a little bit of extra help to decipher if what he did was right. With condoning factors supporting the Nazi in The Sunflower is asking for forgiveness both out of guilt and amends, there is no possible way to decipher if he should or should not be forgiven. Simon was asked to go clean at a hospital. When he arrived at the hospital the nurse asked him if he was a Jew. Simon said yes and the nurse took him to the bedside of Karl, a 21-year old dying Nazi soldier. Karl was covered in bandages with openings only for his mouth, nose and ears. Karl wanted to tell Simon his story. Karl talked about his childhood and then the conversation came up to him being a Nazi. Karl admitted to shooting a mother, father and their two kids. Karl felt guilty about the hundred of Jews he killed and he didn’t want to die without coming clean to a Jew. Karl asked for forgiveness, he knew he was asking for too much from Simon but without his answer Karl couldn’t die in peace. Simon left the room without a word. When he returned to the hospital the next day, the same nurse came to Simon and told him that Karl had died. Over the next years of the war, time and time again, through all his suffering, Simon thought of Karl and wondered if he should have forgiven him. Over the years, every time Simon would enter a hospital, see a nurse, or a man covered with his head bandaged, he recalls Karl. Many years later Simon questioned whether he had done the right thing. He asked many people about his actions. A few of these people included Jews, Rabbis, a Catholic Cardinal, Christians and even an ex-Nazi. They all had different opinions and different reason of forgiveness. Faced with the choice between compassion and justice, silence and truth, Simon said nothing. Simon always wondered if he had done the right thing. As the book was coming to an end, Simon started noticing that he did the right think not forgiving Karl. Forgiving him wouldn’t bring back any of the people he killed. The Jews he killed are piled up dead and accepting his apology isn’t going to change a thing. Karl didn’t commit a crime against Simon personally, and for Simon to forgive Karl would have been an empty phrase with no meaning. Karl should have asked for forgiveness between himself and all the Jews he murdered. The main character’s development throughout the book showed that at first Simon wasn’t confident with his decision and always had the situation on the back of his mind. But towards the end of the book, Simon notices he did make the right decision to just get up, walk away without saying a word. Simon basically needed other peoples opinions to see that he had done the right thing. How to cite The Sunflower, Essay examples

Michael Pollan Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex free essay sample

My reasons for doing this are as follows: I want to eat locally grown produce; I want to reduce the use of chemicals in the food I eat; I want to reduce my carbon footprint by buying local, non-corporate food; I prefer to support local farmers, especially in a down economy; by subscribing rather than just buying at a farmer’s market, I’m showing my commitment to organic farming; and I will eat a broader range of vegetables as a result. By doing this, I am hoping to improve my own health while also, I hope, reducing the environmental costs of corporate farming. Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way the organic farming practices are influencing the health of people and the planet. However, there are overlooked human costs to buying organic food: not everyone can afford it, and on organic farms, farmworkers may be more at risk for Valley fever and mosquito-borne illnesses. We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Pollan Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nevertheless, organic farming practices have the best interests of the environment and of the humans living on the planet in mind. Paragraph #2 Lately we have been hearing a lot about buying local food, but many wonder whether it is healthier and better tasting than food that has come from longer distances. One benefit of local food is that the consumer knows exactly where it is coming from, and that may make the consumer feel better about eating it. A common definition of local food is food that comes from a single bioregion, which is a rather flexible term. For the purposes of this essay, food will be considered local if it comes from within a one-hundred mile radius. Why is eating and supporting locally grown food beneficial? Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way locally sourced food is influencing the health of people and the planet. If you buy food grown by a giant corporation, you are likely harming the planet and possibly yourself because of the large carbon footprint and chemical residue of â€Å"corporatized† food. However, if you buy locally grown food, you support renewable farming practices and this leads to a healthier planet, a healthier you, and a healthier local economy.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Think globally, eat locally. † We have been hearing this slogan a lot lately, but many of us do not yet know what it means to eat locally. We can often eat locally by buying from farmers markets, supporting small farms, and shopping at the local food co-op. Sometimes, however, the food in these places might come from too far away to be considered local. For the purposes of this essay, food will be considered local if it comes from within a one-hundred mile radius. Is eating and supporting locally grown food beneficial? Michael Pollan’s â€Å"Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,† Rachel Carson’s â€Å"The Human Cost,† and Peter Huber’s â€Å"How Cities Green the Planet† each provide insight into the way locally sourced food is influencing the health of people and the planet. Locally sourced food is picked ripe, thereby having a better flavor and more nutrients; the carbon footprint may be lower because it is not transported so far; and buying local food stimulates your local economy. All this is well and good, but there is not enough locally sourced food available to feed everyone in a particular region, and locally sourced food may not be grown or transported as efficiently as food grown elsewhere. While many are concerned that there is not enough locally sourced food available to feed everyone in a particular region, and locally sourced food may not be grown or transported as efficiently as food grown elsewhere, it is still in our best interests to consume locally sourced food whenever possible. Locally sourced food is picked ripe, thereby having a better flavor and more nutrients; the carbon footprint may be lower because it is not transported so far; and buying local food stimulates your local economy.