(and) Thesis

Colonialism is something that has affected many people over many years, historically. This practice is addressed in many works of literature and is highly controversial. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is narrated through the conqueror’s eyes, while Jamaica Kincaid’s A Small Place is one which views this colonialism years later, through the native’s eyes. These two views are polar opposites and provide evidence on about how this imperialism can affect both the native people, and the foreigners. They also provide insight on how natives view foreigners, and how they want to be viewed. This ultimately equates to the question; how do we want to be viewed as people and as a society while looked upon from the outside? Kincaid and Conrad provide very interesting answers to this question. Kincaid suggests that time doesn’t matter, just people’s actions, she associates white tourists with Europeans and therefore judges them as her conqueror. Conrad has a similar point, but proved in a much different way, suggesting that the more you travel into the river, the less of a man you become.