Imperialistic Greed

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Imperialistic: “the policy of extending the rule of authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.” Greed: “excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possession.” When reading Heart of Darkness it is seen why it is consider one of the greatest piece of English literature written. While there are many topics covered throughout the novel, trust, love, and overall imperialistic greed. Imperialistic greed was the underlying major theme in the entire novel. It was what drove people to take over the African content, it is what motivated people to leave home in “hopes” of returning with money. It is proven that people will do anything if it involves striking it rich.…show more content…
They were out there to build an economy based of the essentials they couldn’t find in their homeland. Instead of learning to work with the native people, the British did what many countries are good at. They took the natives as slaves making them do all the hard work for the materials that they needed. Marlow also describes the natives being captured and how disgusted he feels about it, “They were called criminals, and the outraged law, like the bursting shells… All their meagre breasts panted together, the violently dilated nostrils quivered, the eyes stared stonily uphill.” (Conrad, 28) Marlow was disgusted at the thought of these people being treated like animals, if they even deserved to be called…show more content…
Although the British were supposed to be spreading the light they were only spreading darkness through the continent. When Marlow meets the Company’s chief accountant, he describes him as, “He had been out nearly three years; and, later, I could not help but asking him how he managed to sport such linen. He has just a faint blush, and said modestly, I’ve been teaching one of the native woman about the station.”(Conrad,30) Since this happens to be one of the first people that Marlow meets he started to realize that greed was controlling everyone because it meant they had
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