Achebe's An Image of Africa offers a profound critique of Conrad's depiction of Africa in Heart of Darkness. Celebrated for its incisive analysis and powerful prose, it challenges Western literary paradigms. Some critics find it too harsh, yet many praise Achebe's courage in addressing racism and misrepresentation, prompting deeper reflection on colonial narratives.

Readers interested in post-colonial critique, literary analysis, and African studies would appreciate Chinua Achebe's An Image of Africa. They likely enjoy texts like Edward Said's Orientalism and Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, seeking insights into cultural representation and the effects of colonialism.

In An Image of Africa, Chinua Achebe critiques Joseph Conrad's portrayal of African people in Heart of Darkness. Achebe addresses the dehumanizing representation and argues it reinforces harmful stereotypes, challenging readers to reconsider the narrative's impact and recognize the importance of portraying African individuals as complex human beings.

Informative / Contemplative / Challenging / Mysterious / Dark

- An Image of Africa is a critical essay by Chinua Achebe that was first delivered as a lecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in February 1975.
- The essay is a groundbreaking critique of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, highlighting its Eurocentric and racist elements and sparking widespread discussions and debates in literary circles.
- Achebe's essay has become influential in postcolonial studies, challenging Western perceptions of Africa and inspiring subsequent generations of scholars to reexamine classic literary works.

**Chinua Achebe**  
A renowned Nigerian author known for critiquing stereotypical portrayals of Africans in Western literature and advocating for authentic African perspectives.

**Joseph Conrad**  
A Polish British writer whose work, particularly Heart of Darkness, is scrutinized by Chinua Achebe for perpetuating dehumanizing stereotypes of Africa and its people.

Study Guide

Book Brief

Explore An Image of Africa reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Book Brief An Image of Africa

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore An Image of Africa and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

An Image of Africa Summary and Study Guide

Background

An Image of Africa Background

Essay Analysis

An Image of Africa Essay Analysis

keyFigure

Key Figures

An Image of Africa Key Figures

theme

Themes

An Image of Africa Themes

Index of Terms

An Image of Africa Index of Terms

Literary Devices

An Image of Africa Literary Devices

quote

chapter

citation

character

Important Quotes

An Image of Africa Important Quotes

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

An Image of Africa Essay Topics

Chinua Achebe

Adult

Essay / Speech

Nonfiction

Guide

an-image-of-africa

An Image of Africa

Book Brief

An Image of Africa

Super Short Summary

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read An Image of Africa?

Chinua Achebe

Joseph Conrad