Teal Veyre’s Reviews > Tales of Land and Sea > Status Update

I might help to keep in mind that Conrad died in 1924. He did not live in our era at all and certainly didn't share some of our modern sensibilities. What we today see as insults/slurs were often totally normal phrases at that time.

Also, Conrad was Polish, English was his second language. He spent time around English sailors -- some rather rough and tumble men with no time for niceties. Also, Poland is arch-Catholic and one of the most racist, actively xenophobic countries in Europe, even today.

So, taken all together...see it as historic and cultural. Might help!

I understand that the context of the n-word was very different back then, but there's still a big focus on race in the story. And my big thing is...why? The story doesn't need James Wait to be black. And, of course, it's fine to write black antagonists. But Conrad focuses on James' race more so than any other character. I don't understand the point of that at all. It's a story about death and how people come together in the face of death. With so much of James' character focused on his race, there should be a point in Conrad having made him black, and I'm like....what was it?
In Heart of Darkness, there's obviously a reason for many of the characters to be black.

There's no clear reason that I can see for James Wait to be black.
If he's going to constantly drop the n-word and focus on James' black features, there must be a reason he made that choice. That reason alludes me.
The story wouldn't change at all (except to eliminate all the gross racism) if James was a white guy.