Literature of the Picaresque – Writing

(Shawn Jackman) All one world

s.jackman

November 15, 2016

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 Shawn Jackman

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 Pro: Jeff Peer

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 11/14/16

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¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 All one world

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¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 What do we know about the human race? Biologically, we have the same organs, a four-chamber heart for example. Physically, we have two arms, one head and walk upright on two legs. One could then conclude, people are fundamentally the same influenced by culture creating social nuances. Culture as defined by www.Merriam-wester.com, “a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)”. Ultimately, culture is a learned behavior.  This definition answers the questions; can culture transcend geography and physical boarders, yes, it does.  This paper will explore the cultural encounters of two characters from their distinct perspectives: One being, an African in Europe and the other a European in Africa. The comparison will illustrate how they socialized based on the influences of their respective cultures.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 The backdrop of the content was set during the ending of the 1900s where Europe was forcing their social construct and belief system on underdeveloped countries with colonialism in Congo of Africa. The interjection of the European culture into the virgin territories came at a heavy cost the natives.  The price paid by the conquered land was raping of their natural resources and enslavement of the citizens for commerce. The slave trade of Africans was one of the main reason the European took special interest in Africa and the Africans. Goods such as ivory (harvested in the Congo) were successful in the marketplace however; the trading of human resource yielded much higher profits because it was free labor making it a lucrative business. The financial benefits in African made the land the new hotbed for commercial gain by Europeans seeking adventure creating a cultures collision.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 Africans also sought adventure in Europe to explore a new “quality of life” thought by European as they promoted their culture as the standard for a civilized society, while demoting the African culture as one for savages.  Africans influenced by the colonial masters, were force to embrace this Europeans culture. Therefore, Africans wanted to dress like Europeans, speak their languages, and adopt their education. This all created a cultural identity confusion with the indoctrinated Africans. Be that as it may, the mixing of cultures educated both the Africans and Europeans.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 The book, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, presented the point of view of Europeans in Africa and they cultural influence. From the onset, the European’s mission to the Congo of Africa for   resources and financial gain. As the author expresses, “The dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empires.”(5)Heart of Darkness. The method was through colonialism. This absolute control would permit European to pillage Africa of its resources – natural and human. The inventory Africa provided wasn’t granted to Europeans the items were forcefully taken. That meant African was treated with extreme cruelty to fuel trade Europeans market, “I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope; each had iron collar on his neck and all were connected together with chain,” (16) Heart of Darkness this was the method use to subdue the African chattel while fuelling the slave trade in European. To Europeans human or ivory were all the same resource both yielded money. The capitalist fragment of European culture, by mean of force, was an unsavory tone to Africa culture.

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