Approaches to Teaching Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" and "The Secret Sharer"

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Conard's "Heart of Darkness" and "The Secret Sharer" are among the most taught and studied works of twentieth-century British fiction. Noted for their psychological depth and stylistic artistry, the two stories have been celebrated as exemplars of modernism. They have also given rise to controversy. Scholars have debated whether "Heart of Darkness" is a critique of British imperialism or a paean to it. In 1975, Chinua Achebe condemned the novella's author as racist, a charge that has provoked much discussion.