Blacks are associated with energy, vitality, and natural dignity resulting in the cannibals appearing as "dignified," the helmsman "athletic," the African woman as "savage" as well as "superb," "magnificent," and "gorgeous" (Robertson). Also, Conrad grants speech to the blacks only for them to be condemned as cannibals saying “Catch ’im … Eat ’im!” However, if Conrad were to be deemed a racist, it would be more for his treatment of whites than blacks. Going through the river, Marlow “sees a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat walking on his hind legs” suggesting that these savages are animals merely acting civilized (Conrad). Conrad is accused of dehumanizes the natives that Marlow encounters in Africa to “savages,” “shapes,” “creatures,” and “shadows.” Using powerful descriptions and imagery, Conrad continues to degrade natives and compare them to animals. Achebe adds: “the image which Conrad projects of African life could hardly be called flattering” from the descriptions of Africans by Conrad (Mongia). Clearly, Heart of Darkness presents European prejudice and the issue of race that Achebe declared Conrad as a “bloody racist” (Watts).
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