Achebe on Conrad

[jbor]

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>From: "Otto Sell" <o.sell at telda.net>
>

> The women characters in _Things Fall Apart_ are
> named
>> and individualised just as the men are; that women were regarded as
>> subservient in Ibo culture is not a reflection of Achebe's chauvinism.
>>
>
> Is it? He must allow to take the same measuring scale on his own literature
> as he puts on the books of others.

There is an enormous difference between the depictions of the female
characters in _Things Fall Apart_ and the depiction of Africans in _Heart of
Darkness_. But what I was more concerned by was your attempt to discredit
(silence) Achebe's criticism of Conrad by seeking to brand Achebe's own
fiction as revealing discriminatory attitudes. For a start, I don't think
that that's correct anyway. But it's certainly an entirely separate issue
and, what's more, it *isn't* really the "same measuring scale" at all.

> "handling of women affairs" - remember, I'm no native speaker and my
> intention wasn't discriminatory at all.

Even allowing for that there is still a problem with the notion that the
affairs of women are somehow separate, or should ( ... could ... might) be
handled separately, to relationships between men and women. I didn't and
don't think your intention was discriminatory.

> I consider Achebe's harsh critic as a bit presumptuous and unfair in
> general. But it's not irrelevant.

I don't think it is presumptuous at all. I agree that some of his rhetoric
is extreme, however, in the light of the prevailing consensus regarding
_HoD_ in the canon I think that it was probably necessary for him to be
strident and provocative so that his voice would be heard.

> When Marlow says  that London has been "one of the dark places" he surely
> considers those old Brits who fought against the Romans as humans and
> individuals or not. So I think it's only fair to believe that at least the
> author saw the Africans.

I'm less and less convinced that this is enough.

best