Poor communication is not only seen in contemporary society, but is demonstrated in Ernest Hemingway’s short story, Hills Like White Elephants.  The mood throughout the story is strained as two characters, the man and the girl, discuss an abortion at a train station.  The girl begins describing how the hills “look like white elephants”, trying to avoid the conversation that is about to commence.  Once they begin discussing, the man discloses that “[the abortion is] an awfully simple operation”,  and that “It’s really not anything.  It’s just to let the air in.”  The reader gets the sense that the girl is uncomfortable with the man’s opinion of the abortion, as she avoids his eye contact by “[looking] at the ground the table legs rested on.”  Nowadays, with the use of technology, people are not able to read body language because most of our communication is done through instant messaging.  According to author Mark Bauerlein,  ”[people] read comments on Facebook [or text messages], but they don’t ‘read’ each other’s posture, hand gestures, eye movements, shifts in personal space and other nonverbal-and expressive- behaviors”, therefore, we are not able to infer how someone is feeling through a cell phone screen or a computer monitor.

With the constant advancement of cell phones, social networking, and the internet, it’s no wonder that the way people communicate is changing.  Text messaging is quick, easy, and allows you to say whatever you want without the face-to-face connection.  Additionally, it allows you to avoid having difficult discussions in person.  Although technology has its advantages, is it really teaching us to communicate properly?  According to journalist Cesar Marquez, “text messaging is dangerous; not only does it ruin social interaction between humans, writing skills, and expression, everything becomes so impersonal and simple.”  Another journalist, Christopher Null, expresses that “reliance on written messaging leads to real world detachment”.  Today’s culture has become so addicted to technological commodities that we have forgotten the basics of human contact.  A serious conversation similar to the abortion topic in Hills Like White Elephants could simply be ‘talked’ about through text messaging or ultimately bypassed.

There was a time, not too long ago, that we had an antenna attached to our phones, and a cord plugged into the wall.  We had ‘dial-up’ internet, and no such thing as Facebook or any other online social network.  We would make a phone call instead of typing a text message, because most cell phones weren’t even able to do so.  In the past decade, technology has advanced excessively to the point where it is has become an obsession and an addiction among modern civilization.  Most teens cannot imagine their lives without the constant communications through cell phones and the internet.  Although to have the deep, emotional conversation that the man and the girl had in Hills Like White Elephants was difficult and not fully achieved, the level of communication was still miles ahead of today’s.  Our society must make a change, even if it means face-to-face confrontation and feeling vulnerable, in order to regain the expressive skills we have lost.

References:

Bauerlain, Mark.  ”An emphasis on social networking puts younger people at a face-to face disadvantage”.  Wall Street Journal.  netlingo.  Web.  16 January 2012.

Hemingway, Ernest.  Hills Like White Elephants.  Print.  15 January 2012.

Marquez, Cesar.  ”Negative Aspects of Text Messaging”.  Borderzine.  21 October 2009.  Web.  16 January 2012.

Null, Christopher.  ”High-tech kids lost in face-to-face relationships”.  Netlingo.  Web.  16 January 2012.

Yoke Meng, Ngeow.  ”Tips on Effective Communication”.  Sunway Alumni.  10 September 2007.  Web.  17 January 2012.

People have began believing that we can properly communicate through technology.

            To the Europeans in Heart of Darkness, wealth and power are the most important aspects of their lives.  The Congolese whom Marlow encounters in the story are described as “nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation” (156), and are held as prisoners for the Europeans’ use.  These people are unimportant in the Europeans eyes, and their delicate state goes unnoticed as work is the first priority.  Conrad discloses that “the work was going on.  The work!  And this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die.” (156).  In this case, the work was the building of a railway with the help of the Congolese people.  The purpose of this section was to communicate to the readers that superior authorities, the Europeans, were taking advantage of the poor natives by designating them as their slaves.  This is comparable to contemporary society’s Coca-Cola Corporation.  Across India, there are over fifty-six bottling plants in order to create this soft drink (The Ecologist 2010).  Although this operation has caused “excessive depletion of the groundwater resource” (UPI 2010), the multi billion-dollar company continues to produce the drink without notice of its negative impacts.  In India, “children, women, and even farmers don’t have enough water to drink and make a living” (Yogi 2010), yet because of Coca-Cola’s wealth, they have power over these impoverished people.

Coca-Cola’s success has caused the company to “deface the mountains and [cause] irreparable damage to the ecosystem” (Indian Express 2002).  Conrad suggests in Heart of Darkness that it is because “Anything – anything can be done in this country” (181).  The demonstration of greed and ignorance is established throughout the novella as Marlow experiences first-hand what it is like to feel as if he is in a “vast grave full of unspeakable secrets.” (Conrad 228).  These secrets include the mystery surrounding the wealthy, “remarkable” Kurtz, as well as the brutality of the Congolese whom he encounters.  In contemporary society, citizens are constantly being manipulated to believe what the government or corporations display for us, for example, most people are unaware of the fiendish actions of Coca-Cola.  In Heart of Darkness (Conrad 1998), Marlow is being exposed to the reality of the world, which the media and government conceal.  Conrad compares society’s ignorance of these atrocities to fog, and denotes that if people, government, and media do not make a change, “we will all be butchered in this fog.” (192).  The author distinguishes this ignorance as something that “[does] not shift or drive; it [is] just there, standing all round you like something solid.” (Conrad 191).  Conrad’s statement further authenticates how even though people may not be aware of the nefariousness in the world, it does not mean that the problems are not evident and that they will disappear without citizens and the government having to make a change.

Although Heart of Darkness (Conrad 1998) was written in 1903, the theme of the story concerning corporation greed and ignorance of society is still relevant in modern civilization.  Whether it is simply staying educated on what is going on in the world, or refusing to give in to the consumerism of corporations, the story contains a message to citizens to open their eyes to the real world and make a change.  Each person can learn a valuable lesson from Conrad when reading Heart of Darkness, as the events and conflicts faced by Marlow further enhance the theme of the story, which is considered to be a timeless classic as a result of the applicability to contemporary society.

References

 Alfred, Irene.  “Nike and Child Slave Labour”.  Ihscsl news.  Jan. 2003.  Web.  6 Dec. 2011.

“Coca-Cola blamed for crop damage in India.”  UPI.com.  23 Mar. 2010.  Web.  5 Dec. 2011.

Conrad, Joseph.  Heart of Darkness.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1998.  Print.

Jowitt, Juliette.  “World’s top firms cause $2.2tn of environmental damage, report estimates.”  The Guardian.  18 Feb. 2010.  Web.  5 Dec. 2011.

“Make Coke and Pepsi pay for this.”  Indian Express.  14 Aug. 2002.  Web.  7 Dec. 2011.

Shah, Anup.  “Corporations”.  Global Issues.  12 Nov. 2011.  Web.  8 Dec. 2011.

Yogi, Mahesh.  “Coca-Cola ‘misleading’ investors over water use in India”.  The Ecologist.  23 Apr. 2010.  Web.  6 Dec. 2011.

Below is a demonstration of ignorance.
Below, a poor Indian boy tries fighting for what he believes in; to put an end to corporation power.

In the story, the main character, Marlow, is travelling on a steamer called the Eldorado Expedition along the Congo River.  He begins this voyage in order to reach Kurtz, the chief of the inner station.  Along the way, Marlow encounters cannibals, natives hired as the crew of the steamer.  Although these cannibals have a limited food supply, they resist the temptation of the humans aboard and are describes as “men one could work with” (184).  Conrad introduces these characters to demonstrate that even people who are considered ‘savage’ have the ability to be civilized and respectable, as society shouldn’t be so quick to judge and label people.

Not only does the author use characters to push his message to the readers, but he additionally uses imagery.  For example, he describes fog as something that “did not shift or drive; it was just there, standing all round you like something solid” (191).  I interpreted this fog scene as society’s ignorance to global issues, and how even though we may not be aware of atrocities in the world, the problems won’t go away on their own, hence they are “something solid”.  Through class discussions and analysis of Heart of Darkness, I have realized that I have been extremely oblivious to worldly problems.  Conrad’s writing allows me to relate each quote to our society, as the fog also is symbolic of our blindness to the real world.  He further expresses this when Marlow explains that “when you have to attend to [the mere incidents of the surface], the reality [fades]” (183).  Conrad depicts these surface issues as something that will always be a distraction from more important problems; the reality.  In our lives, we become so enthralled in our own small problems that we are unable to see the bigger picture and gain a better perspective.  For example, we are constantly being distracted on a a daily basis, whether it is by technology, people, or multitasking, a “mythical activity in which people believe they can perform two or more tasks simultaneously”(Hallowell).  Book II, as well as my English class, has made me more aware of my surroundings and the world in general.  Conrad takes a close look at these issues in the novella and portrays them to the readers through Marlow’s experiences on his voyage.

After reading book II, I feel encouraged with my understanding of the symbolism and deeper meaning of the story.  I am improving my critical thinking level through class discussions and further analysis of the novella.  Not only am I becoming a better reader, but I am connecting the story to contemporary society and looking at it in a new light.

References:

Conrad, Joseph.  Heart of Darkness.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1998.  Print.

Below is a demonstration of multimedia, a “surface” distraction.

In book I of Joseph Conrad’s novella, many issues are brought forward and expressed by the author.  I learnt a number of things while reading the first part of the story, for example, simply being able to decipher hidden symbolism.  The main character, Marlow, describes the poor state of the black people in Africa by explaining that “the [Europeans] had tied a bit of white worsted around [the African's] neck” (157).  I have learnt to be able to look deeper into the story than the literal meaning of the words, as the white tied around the African’s neck represents ownership and control from the Europeans.  Additionally, I have gained a better understanding of the vocabulary expressed in Conrad’s writing, and as I advanced through book I, I was able to follow along without getting confused.  Conrad educates the readers of the cruelty and inequality of the Congo by demonstrating the atrocities brought upon the black people, who were “nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation” (156).  Throughout the story, the author portrays cruelty and ignorance by creating two different worlds; one world being the greedy and power hungry Europeans,and the other being the slaving Africans.  A strong connection is made between Conrad’s comparison and the film, Refugees of the Blue Planet, which deals with similar issues concerning large corperations inflicting inequality and injustice among people.  In both the story and the film, the environment is being severely damaged by ignorant, selfish people.  For example,  in the film, the eucalyptus monoculture has taken over much of the land yet it causes significant environmental damage from the pesticides and chemicals used.  Moreover, the film demonstrates the devastation of refugees of the Maldives due to climate change.  In Heart of Darkness, Conrad communicates that even when people are suffering and dying, the appalling work which abuses the environment continues.  This issue is expressed when Marlow discloses that, “the work was going on.  The work!  And this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die”(156).  Heart of Darkness is exposing me to these humanity issues in addition to giving me insight of hardships that people have to face.  This has made me realize how fortunate my life is and has given me a better outlook.  Furthermore, I have improved my reading and comprehension skills due to studying this piece of advanced literature.

References:

Conrad, Joseph.  Heart of Darkness.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1998.  Print.

Refugees of the Blue Planet. Dir. Helene Choquette, Jean-Philippe Duval.  National Film Board of Canada.  Nov. 19, 2007.  Film.

 Above is a photograph of the famous Joseph Conrad.

Below is an example of climate refugees, as shown in Refugees of the Blue Planet.