Read the excerpt from "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness."
When a writer while pretending to record scenes, incidents, and their impact is in reality engaged in inducing hypnotic stupor in his readers through a bombardment of emotive words and other forms of trickery, much more has to be at stake than stylistic felicity. Generally normal readers are well armed to detect and resist such underhand activity. But Conrad chose his subject well—one which was guaranteed not to put him in conflict with the psychological predisposition of his readers or raise the need for him to contend with their resistance. He chose the role of purveyor of comforting myths.
Read the passage from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
Now and then a boat from the shore gave one a momentary contact with reality. It was paddled by black fellows. you could see from afar the white of their eyeballs glistening. They shouted, saying; They had faces like grotesque masks-these chaps; but they had bone, muscle, a wild vitality, and intense energy of movement that was as natural and true as the surf along their coast. They wanted no excuse for being there. They were a great comfort to look at.
Which statement summarizes Achebe's claim about Conrad's heart of darkness?
-Achebe argues that Conrad's audience may share his bias and accept his stereotypes.
-Achebe argues that Conrad's characters are unconventional and that his audience will approve of them.
-Achebe argues that Conrad's choice of words will provide a valid counterargument to criticism.
-Achebe argues that Conrad's citation of evidence showing that Africans are artistic will please readers.
