Heart of Darkness 3

Heart of Darkness is set at the turn of the 20th century during the Imperial age. During this era, Europeans believed that the white Christian man was superior to every other race.  Europeans believed that it was their duty to civilize and bring culture to Africans and others  by forcing their European and Christian ideology upon the colonized. In Heart of Darkness, one can see that Africans are treated much differently and in some cases they are treated hardly as humans. The natives are seen as savages by the Europeans because they are different and these differences create fear and intolerance. When Marlow first arrives in the Congo, he takes note of how a group of "criminals", largely Africans guilty of nothing, are being treated as slaves. Later, when Marlow and his crew are traveling up the river, he notices how the Europeans on his boat are terrified of the natives who are working on the boat. This kind of fear and closed mindedness is what causes the discrimination, both in the novel and in recent history. In the past century the world has witnessed astonishing changes for women, African Americans, and many other groups. However, there are many social injustices that continue to prevail today. Prejudice still exists towards those who have a different sexual orientation  and those who adhere to different religious beliefs. Hopefully the world will continue to see the positive trend that has led to more personal freedoms for those who have been unjustly persecuted.