This study will compare the treatments of the theme of colonialism in two novels, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and George Orwell's Burmese Days. The study will focus specifically on the books' protagonists, Kurtz and Flory, respectively, and how the evils of colonialism affected them in negative terms, but will also include consideration of the negative impact overall of imperialism on the Third World nations depicted in the novels. On the surface, Kurtz was far more negatively affected than Flory. Kurtz is utterly transformed into a bloodthirsty savage by the delusions of grandeur colonialism has instilled in him as a white European male ruler in such a Third World nation. Kurtz has thrown himself into the corruption of colonialism so completely that he no longer has any sense of the destruction he is creating in himself and in the African nation where he dwells. At the same time, it can be argued that the mysterious power of that African culture at the "heart of darkness" has reaped its revenge on the colonialist Kurtz by helping to drive him mad. On the other hand, Flory appears to at least have retained some sense of the destructiveness of colonialism, and therefore to have kept some of his own integrity. However, Flory is finally just as corrupted as Kurtz, perhaps ever more so. After all, Kurtz is utterly swallowed by the corruption of colonialism and therefore cannot be expected to be free to change, whereas Flory is only half-swallowed, so to speak, is at least in part free to change, but does not do so.
Flory the Englishman, for example, has a friend in the Indian Dr. Veraswami, indicating that he is willing to accept such a non-European as his equal---to a certain extent, that is. When the doctor asks Flory to help him gain admittance to the European Club in order to be protected from his evil nemesis U Po Kyin. Flory is willing to be the Indian doctor's friend, but when push comes to shove, he is not willing to acc...