Analysis Of Kings Ghost A Story Of Greed, Terror, And...

Manipulation seems to be a common characteristic in swaying peoples perception. Journalism has been an instrument used to act on this manipulation since text has been attainable by the masses. Due to the impressive amount of average folk becoming literate in the early nineteenth century, international journalism was an integral part of the Age of Imperialism. Around this time, industrialized countries were on a quest to colonize and influence any state that was seen as worthy. The role of journalism exposed these worthy, unindustrialized countries and manipulated readers into believing they needed to be altered. This deceptive journalism is evident in Adam Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa, and influenced many nineteenth and twentieth century perceptions pertaining to humanitarianism and imperialism. Hochschild’s uses the story of King Leopold II and his colonization of Africa to depict the notion of imper ialists genuine intention’s rather than their publicly perceived one’s. Using propaganda, Leopold exploits the many faces of journalism and ultimately perceives his backwards Congo into a colonial, humane, necessity for the world. Even though international journalism eventually led to the down fall of Leopold’s hypocritical jurisdiction, the principal role of journalists relating to the Congo was to report what was beneficial to the writer. This is evident in Leopold’s portrayal of the Congo to the public, andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Adam Hochschilds King Leopold Of Belgium2003 Words   |  9 PagesHochschild’s depiction of King Leopold of Belgium was written in 1998 and titled, King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa. Hochschild talked extensively about the greed for money and slavery resulting in the genocide of the Congo and the protests of humanitarians that followed the King’s exploitati on of Africans. In his thesis, the author stated that â€Å"[t]his is the story of that movement, of the savage crime that was its target, of the long period of explorationRead More King Leopolds Ghost Essay2090 Words   |  9 PagesKing Leopolds Ghost King Leopolds Ghost tells a story of the Belgian King Leopold II and his misrule of an African colony, named (at the time) the Congo Free State. It is a wild and unpleasant story of a mans capacity for evil and the peculiar manifestation of it. In telling this story, Hochschild does a wonderful job of giving detailed descriptions, especially of the colorful individuals involved, both good and bad. His analysis of the situation is very solid, starting with the movement