Things fall apart and Heart of
darkness
Namrataba Zala
Semester: 4
Roll No.: 19
Enrollment No.: 2069108420170033
Batch: 2016-2018
Email Id : namratazala2707@gmail.com
S. B. Gardi Department of English
Bhavnagar University

Chinua Achebe
• Chinua Achebe: born Albert
Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe; (16
November 1930 – 21 March
2013) was a Nigerian novelist,
poet, professor, and critic. His
first novel Things Fall Apart
(1958), often considered his
best, is the most widely read
book in modern African
literature. He won the Man
Booker International Prize in
2007. his later novels include
No Longer at Ease (1960),
Arrow of God (1964), A Man of
the People (1966), and Anthills
of the Savannah (1987).

Joseph Conrad
• Joseph Conrad: born Józef Teodor
Konrad Korzeniowski; 3 December
1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Polish-
British writer regarded as one of the
greatest novelists to write in the
English language. He joined the
British merchant marine in 1878, and
was granted British citizenship in
1886. Though he did not speak
English fluently until his twenties, he
was a master prose stylist who
brought a non-English sensibility into
English literature. He wrote stories
and novels, many with a nautical
setting, that depict trials of the
human spirit in the midst of an
impassive, inscrutable universe.

Both novel on African Society
Things fall apart
• Black man’s journey in
Africa
• Takes place during the time
of colonialism
• Image of mid 20th century
• Igbo culture
• Real picture of Africa
• Individuality
• Culture
Heart of darkness
• White man’s journey in
Africa
• Imperialism is centre
• Image of mid 19th century
• Africa as savage
• Dark image of Africa
• Primitive, Mysterious
• Cruelty

Both novel on African Society
Things fall apart Heart of darkness
•Art of conversation, civilized society
•Real image
•Their own language
•Africa which is portrays here is not because
Of Africa’s people’s lack of awareness but
As a result of colonialism.
•Racist image
•language of colonisers

Both sides of Africa
Darker side Cultured side

Conclusion..
• Thus we can say that Achebe’s Africa is more
real and cultured than Conrad’s darker one.
• Achebe’s lecture An Image of Africa: Racism in
Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" featured a
famous criticism of Joseph Conrad as "a
thoroughgoing racist“.