Loss Of White Life Pg 138 Europeans example essay topic
588 words
Another type of writing by people who traveled to the Congo was observational and diary writing. Joseph Conrad, Stanley's officers, George Washington Williams, Edmund Ricard, Belgian senator (119) There were many examples in the book of writing, done by both blacks and whites, to improve lives of the Congolese. Stanislaus Lefranc a Belgium prosecutor, a catholic, and a monarchist witnessed the use of the chicotte on young boys for laughing in the presence of a white man. After witnessing these atrocities he wrote descriptions of them in newspapers and pamphlets which he published in Belgium. One description said, "The station chief selects the victims... Trebling, haggard they lie face down on the ground... Each time that the torturer lifts up the chicotte, a re dish stripe appears on the skin of the pitiful victims... In a refinement of evil, some officers, and I've witnessed this, demand that when the sufferer gets up, panting, he must graciously give the military salute" (121). - George Washington Williams- Black (13) - CN Bor risson- Swedish missionary (125) - Edgar Canisius, American (131) - Roger Casement (190) - William Sheppard- Black (152) - Samuel Laps ley (153) - John Harris (216) - E.V. Sjoblom (173) - E.D. Morel- even though he did not travel to the Congo (191) The definition of Civilization at the time -by Europeans / Americans (Hypocrisy) - pg. 280-283- definition - pg. 92- Anti-slave (hypocrisy) - pg. 100- public horrified by loss of white life - pg. 138- Europeans leave their morality leave behind in Europe when they come to Africa - pg. 166- moral degradation - pg. 234- Authors example of Conrad's view of civilization - pg. 226- definition and how it was destroyed European / American view of Africa up until Leopold's colonization - pg. 6, pg. 31 (Stanley writes), pg. 101 There are many examples of whites writing for propaganda use, that use language that obviously perpetuates and encourages the idea that the Africans were not civilized. - pg. 44- Leopold never travels but he uses the language - pg. 31- Stanley - pg. 51- Stanley ("dark") - pg. 68, 69, 99- Stanley's officers - pg. 119- Belgian senator - pg. 121- shows no compassion - pg. 237- Example of propaganda / travel - pg. 262- White observation There were white writers who realized the immortality of Leopold's terrorism, and expressed it. - pg. 188- fully described the Africans as civilized- Mary Kingsley - pg. 131- Canisius - pg. 120- Lefranc - pg. 216- John Harris - pg. 192- Canisius- evidence used by novel (Morel did not travel) There were also many black writers who wanted Leopold's terrorism to end and wrote to try to stop it. - pg. 102,107 108- Williams- factual, lawyerly, open, organized, accusatory - pg. 152- Author's opinion of why blacks wanted to go - pg. 154,157,158- Sheppard - pg. 165- Sheppard - pg. 157- Sheppard (Kuba) Conclusion: Some white writers, and all of the black writers- took the time / put aside preconceived notion of the Congolese- they discovered that they were civilized... -other white writers (for propaganda) - wrote that Africans = uncivilized, Europeans / Americans = civilized- preconceived notion -- - Leopold's propaganda. By valuing the individual, their culture and their history we acknowledge that they are human, civilized and worthy of compassion and moral treatment. Hochschild's book does not allow us to know about the individuals, culture and history of the Congolese people. (look at written outline).
