Essay Response - Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe's essay is full of valid points, obvious research, and well thought out ideas.  I find myself agreeing with him on things like Conrad's description of the African man. I think that any African would have the right to be upset or offended by that type of description. I don't know how Conrad felt, truly, about the Africans so it is difficult for me to say that what Conrad wrote was entirely racist. Looking at the time Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness I have to wonder if his view on Africans came from his society's view on African Americans. The world was a lot different in that time and I can't really speak on their behalf because I have not lived their life. While I agree fully that any type of intended racism is wrong, I have to keep an open mind in the sense of literature. Often, I find that sometimes what one novel might describe "The Other" in the way that one would describe a unfamiliar territory.  That, of course, would come off as racist and unethical to the actual "Other" reading it.  I think it is rather difficult to write a novel or story about a culture and not placing an "Other" in the plot. The idea of one being racist against a culture, person, or religion, it a very slick slope. Achebe, being African, has the right to question Conrad's diction and description of his culture.  I, however, can only state what I believe, and what I believe is that Conrad may have overlooked the feelings of an African and instead expanded greatly his idea of the Africans. Achebe's essay gave me a look at the other side of the spectrum and I now understand that it will be difficult to avoid conflict when dealing with an "Other".  A villain is necessary to have a hero. I find that one culture has to be superior in the mind of a human being. Overall I liked the essay, and I enjoyed reading, in the words of Achebe, his side of the story.