The following prompt must be answered with a well-structured paragraph. You must use MLA format in your response and INCORPORATE ONE quote into your writing.
Due Dates: B Block - Your responses are due Friday, 10/8 by Midnight.
A Block - Your responses are due Monday, 10/11 by Midnight.
Writing Prompt:
Identify and explain an example of class separation within the Europeans in Africa.
Although not as obvious as the class separation between blacks and whites, there is subtle class separation within the Europeans in Africa. Most of Europeans Marlow meets in Africa are sent by the Company and are given the title from the Company. There are Manager, who is in charge of everything, Chief Accountant, other agents, whom Marlow names "pilgrims", and mechanics. For the Manager, everyone besides him is at pretty much the same position. However, depending on personal connections one has, one's position and influence among the other Europeans varies. Mechanics "whom the other pilgrims naturally despised - on account of their imperfect manners, I suppose" (Conrad 53) were subtly segregated and discriminated from the rest of Europeans. Class separation clearly exists within Europeans in Africa, depending on their personal connections and manners, which I believe was pretty much the same way in Europe at that time.
ReplyDeleteThe Europeans in Africa, no matter the class, did not have much respect for each other. The men who were "strolling aimlessly about in the sunshine of the yard" (Conrad 44) obviously were at the bottom of the classes. They spend all their times doing 'pretense' work, "the stout man with moustaches came tearing down to the river, a tin pail in his hand, [...] dipped about a quart of water and tore back again. I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail" (Conrad 44). The first class agent, is at the upper side of the classes. He was "young, gentlemanly, a bit reserved" (Conrad 45), and he had candles to himself, a luxury only managers were to have.
ReplyDeleteThere is a subtle class distinction between the Europeans in Africa. These class distinctions were based on their occupation. For example, when forced to stay at a station due to his ship breaking down, Marlow saw "a white man, in such an unexpected elegance of get-up that in the first moment I took him for a sort of vision" (Conrad 36). This was the chief accountant. He was the best dressed at the station. However, later, when speaking about Mr. Kurtz, there was a pang of jealously, because Mr. Kurtz would rise higher in the ranks than him. Also, there was a station manager, which obviously held more power than the men at the station, meaning he was in a higher class. On page 45, it says, "Just at that time the manager was the only man supposed to have any right to candles" (Conrad 45). This reinforces the idea that the manager was in a separate class than the other Europeans. In conclusion, there were class distinctions of the Europeans in Africa.
ReplyDeleteThough not clearly stated, the descriptions and the writing by Conrad tells us readers the distinctions and class separation of the Europeans in Africa. The manager was one of the people in the higher class. “Just at that time the manager was the only man who supposed to have any rights to candles” (Conrad 45). This presents the luxury only which the higher class people were allowed to have. The chief accountant was also in a rather high position except that he was not as high as the manager. “When near the buildings I met a white man, in such an unexpected elegance of get-up that in the first moment I took him for a sort of vision” (Conrad 36) Unlike the other pilgrims / agents the chief accountant was well dressed and this shows that he was higher in rank than the others. The pilgrims who Marlow called were in the lower ranks and they were the ones who did the “hard” work. This clearly shows us that there was class distinctions of the Europeans in Africa.
ReplyDeleteIn the book called, the Heart of Darkness, there is class separation within the Europeans in Africa. Although it is not clearly shown, you can see that the classes for Europeans are much the same except for some high class people. One of this high class people in the Europeans is the manager. Obviously some people get jealous about it. "He was a first-class agent, young, gentle manly, a bit reserved, with a forked little beard and a hooked nose.”(pg45) Also, Mr.Kurtz is in high class because he is a chief. As you can see, the high class people are obviously different than the other Europeans in Africa. Though, most likely, normal Europeans in Africa are in same class.
ReplyDeleteA social class has separated Europeans at that time although they are the same on the outward appearance. Those were not as strict or obvious as the gap between slaves and the master, but there were, such as "He was a first-class agent, young, gentlemanly, a bit reserved, with a forked little beard and a hooked nose." (Conrad 45) If there's a first-class agent, there are classes below than that. He also has his own room "which was in the main building of the station." (Conrad 45) And there is Mr. Kurtz who is "the chief of the Inner Station"(Conrad 47), and the guy who was explaining Mr. Kurtz seems to admire him because his social status is high as "today he is chief of the best station, next year he will be assistant-manager, two years more and... I daresay you know what he will be in two years' time." (Conrad 47) I thought also Marlow feels the power of his, and I felt Marlow went too far that I even smelled servile spirit of his when he says "When Mr. Kurtz is General Manager, you won't have the opportunity." (Conrad 47) As such, European had invisible distinction among them.
ReplyDeleteClass separation amongst the Europeans in Heart of Darkness is not as defined as it is with the Europeans and Africans as the Europeans all hold a class placed above the Africans and are working under the same company making their class standings seem somewhat similar. Having said that, like with any company, there are specific job positions, specific job positions create classes and class separation amongst the workers in the company i.e. the Europeans. Marlow shows this separation through describing one of the higher ranked Europeans as being “a first class agent” (Conrad 45).
ReplyDeleteConrad does not address the existence of a social hierarchy directly in his story. However, he leaves suggestive details here and there that imply that there is in fact a distinction among the social statuses of the Europeans living in Africa. An example would be the Company's chief accountant whom Marlow comes across upon arriving at the Company's station. He seems to have some power, for "his appearance was certainly that of a hairdresser's dummy; but in the great demoralisation of the land he kept up his appearance" (Conrad 36). He is wealthy and powerful enough to bully a native woman into ironing his shirts nice and tidy for him. In contrast to this, Marlow briefly mentions of a stout man who rushes by him to fetch water from the river in attempt to extinguish the fire bursting from the shed. He recalls that "there was a hole in the bottom of his pail" (Conrad 44), which suggest that this man doesn't have enough money to buy a decent pail along with the fact that he's desperate to save the shed. Although done subtly, Conrad manages to portray characters in very different positions, thus implying that a social class exists within these men in Africa, just as they do in any other society.
ReplyDeleteThe distinction between classes within the European society that was living in Africa at the time was subtle, if not completely overlooked. Judging on the text, most people’s social class was determined by their occupation. Because of this, many people were categorized into “classes” because of their jobs for The Company, for example, two men are of the same upbringing, yet one is a custodian while the other is chief manager. Obviously chief manager has a higher income, therefore is regarded as higher class. The quote, “He had no learning, and no intelligence. His position had come to him-why? Perhaps because he was never ill…He had served three terms of three years out there…Because triumphant health in the general route of constitutions is a kind of power in itself (Conrad 42)”. Seems to illustrate what sort of society these people were living in. So a good way to interpret European class distinction in Africa would be that it was in fragile stability.
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ReplyDeleteNika A3
ReplyDeleteThere is no real evidence that Conrad gives out thought out the pages of the book, that there is such class of structure. Although he does leave hints of small detail that leads to the idea that Europeans are equal or greater then Africans. Even though it is amusing that the Europeans are not completely overlooking the Africans it does seem that some are an exception. “He was a first-class agent, young, gentlemanly, a bit reserved, with a forked little beard and a hooked nose.” (Conrad 45). This quote shows the fact that there are higher ranked Europeans. Classified in Europeans society rankings. The rankings also lead to the idea of having a higher income, in a better company, or have a better job. Would determine the classes in Africa, in vise versa Europeans are out of the system.
Ivory and European influence equals power in the untamed land of Africa, and the ‘haves’ are constantly envied and plotted against by the ‘have-nots’. Mr. Kurtz, who “sends in as much ivory as all the others put together…’” (Conrad 37), is resented by the station manager, who only deals with numbers and redundant ‘official’ papers. Furthermore, the manager’s second in hand, in an attempt to upstage Kurtz’s monopolization of power and fame, begs Marlow for his help, because of his rumored influence in Europe. This indicates that ivory, backed with European influence, means having the upper hand in the competition of class separation between the European settlers in Africa.
ReplyDeleteWithin the Europeans in Africa a subtle yet significant distinction is present through evidence of regular hints in the read. “..I perceived that this young aristocrat”, a judgmental statement on its own, had “not only a silver-mounted dressing case but also a whole candle all to himself.” (Conrad 45). We can interpret that there is a stark definition between the higher class individuals as opposed to those of a “lower class” within the community. Those in a lower social class, such as Marlow, seem to look upon those in a different social class with an air of other worldliness. The ivory was the main factor in establishing these social classes, Mr. Kurtz, known for his “charge of a trading-post, a very important one…” (Conrad 37) was a well distinguished upper class member, he “Sends in as much ivory as all the others put together…” (Conrad 37) positioning him at the higher end of the social hierarchy within the Europeans living and working in Africa.
ReplyDeleteIn a large functioning society, a degree of social hierarchy is an inevitable factor. The European colonizers in Africa were no different. Marlow portrays his encounter with the chief accountant as “I met a white man, in such an unexpected elegance of get up that in the first moment I took him sort of vision. I saw a high starched collar, white cuffs, alight alpaca jacket, snowy trousers, a clear silk necktie, and varnished boots. No hat. Hair parted, brushed, oiled, under a green-lined parasol held in a big white hand. He was amazing, and had a pen holder behind his ear” (Conrad 36). This elaborate description of the chief accountant emphasizes the wealth the man was in in retrospect to the almost discriminative form of imagery that was utilized when describing men in the lower classes. Also, note that Marlow proclaims he was surprised to see a man with such elegance, meaning that the majority of the Europeans in Africa were pertaining of less elegance.
ReplyDeletethus you have a social hierarchy( although in mediocracy)
ReplyDeleteAlthough European class distinction is portrayed quite nebulously in the story, Conrad does incorporate subtle imagery and details, exhibiting the difference between men of the desirous high class and the typical low class. The European men Marlow encounters in Africa work for the Belgian Company, and these men all have different job positions, indicating the differing status which comes with that particular occupation. Marlow meets the company's chief accountant at the outer station, and describes his encounter with him as "I shook hands with a miracle...I respected the fellow. Yes, I respected his collars, his vast cuffs, his brushed hair...but in the great demoralization of the land he kept up his appearance" (Conrad, 36). Marlow sees the accountant as being a high class worker in the social hierarchy, with his stylish clothes and well groomed appearance. Marlow undeniably mentions how he gains respect for him and how the accountant's office was the only place he could escape the chaotic environment outside filled with lower class individuals and black men toiling all day. The accountant mentions Mr. Kurtz as being "a first-class agent" who "sends in as much ivory as all the others put together" (Conrad, 37). This quote signifies how one single person can control ivory, and thus indicaiting class separation, and how Mr. Kurtz stands as one of the top individual in the White male society in Africa. The accountant also seems jealous when describing Mr. Kurtz, "He will be a somebody in the Administration before long. They, above, - the council in Europe mean him to be" (Conrad 38). The council in Europe obviously favors Mr. Kurtz and therefore the accountant knows that he will be at the top very soon, and be given so much power. The imagery given when describing Mr. Kurtz and the accountant show how class distinction exists even within the white male society.
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