Character and Culture in Literature

Question 4 • LHS English 10

Which statement best summarizes Achebe’s perspective about Conrad’s Heart of Darkness?

Answer

Heart of Darkness should not be acclaimed because it deprives a group of people of positive human qualities.

While Conrad published a novel about the colonization of Africa, he did not unfairly portray the country and its people.

Conrad is one of many Western historians and novelists who ignore the culture and independence of the African people.

Conrad’s novella should not be considered a work of art because it tells of the horrors associated with the colonization of Africa.

Explanation

Achebe argues that Heart of Darkness dehumanizes Africans by denying them individuality and positive human qualities, while presenting Europe as the standard of civilization. He therefore objects to the novel’s acclaim, not simply because it depicts colonial violence. Choice A best summarizes this criticism; choice D is wrong because Achebe’s objection is about the way Africans are portrayed, not merely the subject of colonial horrors.

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Character and Culture in Literature

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