In Heart of Darkness, there is a definite difference in the ways Africans are depicted and the way the Europeans are depicted. The use of slang to describe the African natives, Kurtz's haunting last words, and how their lifestyle is described as being "savage" shows the definite difference. The Europeans, Marlow, Kurtz, and the gang, believe they have the right to the land of Africa and its Elephant's ivory. The ivory is the reason they are making this pilgrimage to Africa. But on their way to foreign land they talk about some of their mates past experiences with the Natives. One of those experiences being about how a fellow named Fresleven though himself to be wronged by a trade that took place in Africa and hoe he "whacked the old nigger mercilessly" (Conrad 6). This makes my point about how the Europeans speak about the Africans . Something else this shows is how this race of people believe that they are above another, just because of their way of life. .
My second point is they way the Native's land is described as feeling like "utter savagery" (Conrad 4) and the way they moved during their rituals being described like "They howled, and leaped, a spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was their thought of humanity" (Conrad 32). This quote, again, shows how the Europeans believe they they are above the Africans. What really stuck out to me was the fact that the narrator says " but what thrilled you was their thought of humanity" (Conrad 32), making it seem as if they are alien and inhuman. We can make the assumption that the Europeans believe anyone who doesn't share the same quality of life as them are savage and ignorant. Another thing that stud out to me was this passage, "The fascination of the abomination-you know, imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate" (Conrad 4).
