Architecture as Cultural Symbol in Three Classic Novels

Introduction: Architecture Beyond Scene-Setting

The setting of a book is as important as — if not more important than — the depiction of its characters. A detailed portrayal of architecture in a scene often adds to the credibility of the story. In Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, architecture serves not only as a scene-setter but also as a testament to socio-economic values and cultural beliefs.

All three novels deal with so-called "primitive" conditions as their subject matter. The stories do not take place in a thriving modern metropolis, but in areas well removed from the Western eye. As a result, much of the architecture described belongs either to the indigenous peoples of the stories or to the Caucasian characters who were forced to adapt to those conditions due to the absence of "modern" conveniences.

Robinson Crusoe and the Colonial Fortress

In Robinson Crusoe, the main character finds himself shipwrecked on an island he calls "The Island of Despair" (Chpt. 2, p. 1). Once he determines that he must provide for his own survival, he sets about fulfilling his most basic needs: food, clothing, and shelter. "I walk'd about the Shore almost all Day to find out a place to fix my Habitation, greatly concern'd to secure my self from an Attack in the Night, either from wild Beasts or Men" (Chpt. 2, p. 1). This passage shows the reader that the place of shelter serves not merely as a convenience but as a fortress — a function that directly reflects the European character of the protagonist.

The architecture of Crusoe's habitat is described in detail because of the importance he places upon it and the safety it provides. Defoe describes at length the measures Crusoe takes to protect himself: a wall around his dwelling not unlike a castle, with trapdoors and spikes serving as further barriers (Chpt. 5, p. 7). Crusoe in fact takes to calling his home "The Castle" for the remainder of the novel. He records: "Towards Night I fix'd upon a proper Place under a Rock, and mark'd out a Semi-Circle for my Encampment, which I resolv'd to strengthen with a Work, Wall, or Fortification made of double Piles, lin'd within with Cables, and without with Turf" (Chpt. 2, p. 1).

The fact that Crusoe feels compelled to fortify himself against the unknown reflects the culture he carried with him — that of seventeenth-century England and its tradition of defending against invaders. Unable to relinquish his cultural identity entirely, Crusoe also constructs Western comforts such as tables and chairs to accommodate his aesthetic needs (Chpt. 2, p. 2). When Crusoe is joined by a cannibal native he names Friday, he makes little effort to learn about the man's culture; instead, he assimilates Friday into the life of the Castle, creating a small "tent" for him within the fortress (Chpt. 6, p. 5). This gesture mirrors the colonialist ideology of manifest destiny that defined the period and shaped both the writer's perspective and the character's behavior.

Heart of Darkness: Architecture as Civilizational Judgment

In Heart of Darkness, the characters use architecture to define "civilized" versus "non-civilized" attributes. "The dwelling was dismantled; but we could see a white man had lived there not very long ago. There remained a rude table — a plank on two posts; a heap of rubbish... And by the door I picked up a book" (Chpt. 2, p. 4). The story centers on a quest for a lost white man, Kurtz, in the jungles of colonial Africa. When Kurtz is finally found, he has fully assimilated into native culture — an assimilation symbolized by the human heads lining the Western fence around his compound, echoing the practices of the cannibal natives. This is viewed with contempt by the rescuers, who conclude that Kurtz has lost his mind (p. 24).

The maxim "when in Rome..." was evidently a foreign concept to the Caucasian party dispatched to retrieve Kurtz. They sought to return him to "civilization" as quickly as possible, extracting him from what they considered savage conditions and a degraded dwelling. Conrad's narrative unmistakably reveals the author's own perspective on assimilation, categorizing the indigenous peoples' socio-economic systems and culture as savage and uncivilized. Other authors, however, hold very different views about what constitutes a civilized society.

Conclusion: Architecture as Cultural Barometer

Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness, and Things Fall Apart all illustrate the importance of architecture as a literary and cultural device. Without the architectural descriptions, the stories would lose both their narrative credibility and the underlying messages embedded in the portrayal of dwellings. Each author communicates his attitude toward other cultures through the way he depicts their structures — either demeaning native cultures, as in Robinson Crusoe and Heart of Darkness, or presenting them with genuine respect, as in Things Fall Apart.

Across all three works, architecture emerges as far more than a means of shelter from the elements. It functions as a barometer of wealth, a source of security, a symbol of power, and a tool for maintaining — or surrendering — one's cultural identity.

Works Cited

Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Retrieved March 10, 2002.

Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Retrieved March 10, 2002.

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1958.