For this paper, choose one of the following two topics to write about.
1. Postcolonialism: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is interested in the idea of colonialism. The relationship between the colonial and the colonized and the impact of 'misplacement' in the new place are some of the ideas highlighted in the book. What is the book trying to say about colonialism? How are the characters- and other elements in the book- employed to deliver the author's message? Create your own thesis statement that describes the message behind the book and provide enough textual evidence.
2. The Other World: Heart of Darkness can be read as a clash of civilizations- which is to say that the book suggests a series of conflicts between the traditional and the modern, the city and the country, the West and Africa and the metropolis and the jungle - the world as it is and the hopes of another form of world in which we might live in. What kind of conflict do you think the book is trying to present? Does the book reach a resolution regarding these conflicts? Is there any kind of hope to be able to live in a world that shares common grounds?