Comparing Heart Of Darkness And The Jewel In The Crown

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Cultural Rape in Heart of Darkness and The Jewel in the Crown

The comparison of Heart of Darkness and The Jewel in the Crown may lead to some interesting questions. The authors of these two great works have found their way into the literary cannon for well-founded reasons. Both texts seem to continue to bring the reader to ask questions of both the text and the readers own moral values. One of these value based questions deals with racism. It may well be that both of these great works may be examples of racism being subjected upon the people of two separate continents. Both of these situations may be compared to not the rape of a woman, but the rape of a people and their ideologies.

As Paul Scott wrote The Jewel in the Crown his story seems to tell a tale of an English woman in India who had been raped. On the surface of course this is the story meant for the reader to find. However, underlying the issue of rape there may be another story. Scott writes, "This is the story of a rape, of the events that led up to it and followed it and of the place in which it happened. There are the action, the people, and the place" (Scott 3). This single statement may have more truth within it about the author's intent in his story. When Scott writes that with his story is that of a rape we must ask of whom? …show more content…

Her original home is Britain. The same country that has colonized India becomes an important issue in the story. It is important to see that Scott describes the fact that, "Mr. Gandhi began preaching sedition in India" at the same time he introduces the rape theme (Scott 3). Scott is hinting to the reader his real intention behind his story. Gandhi's act of sedation was one wrapped in hopes of attaining equality and freedom from Britain for his people. Britain had control of his land and its

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