)

An Outpost of Progress Makola

Native, has three children
The Belgian Congo
Henry Price +- double identitv -+ Makola
in this time: private property of the Belgian King Leopold II "civilized" identity African identity
Carlier: member of an "armyguaranteed from harm by several European powers" bookkeeping savagery and superstition 'worship
English and French of evil spirits' (p.121.10)
-? This refers to the Berlin Conference (1884/85) where the Congo-Free-State was Neat, tidy betray' s members of another tribe
confirmed as the private property ofKing Leopold II in return for guarantees of -+ perfect colonial agent
neutrality.
Main sources of income: Gobila's people Strangcrs
RUBBER IVORY provide food and entertainment come from the coast
boomed due to industrial demand the kings agents took possession of all ivory live in neighboring villages armed with European fire-weapons
they could find feared by the whites
made a fortune for Leopold II very lucrative commission as African Gobila trade ivory against slaves
elephant hunters received next to nothing not taken seriously by the white
to enforce the rubber contingents the so men ten station men:
called Force Publique terrorized the native laughed at victirns of the colonial intervention
population by cutting offtheir limbs ifthey childlike ruined health because ofbad food
didn't collect enough rubber superstitious beliefs and unfamiliar work
alienated
The author: Joseph Conrad
Plot
was born in Poland (1857) where he experienced oppression and foreign domination in Kayerts and Carlier are put in charge of a trading station somewhere in the Belgian Congo.
his childhood The first agent hat died of fever. They are left with food for six months and the director
-? This probably raised his awareness ifinjustice / abuse ofpower promises to be back by then. As he is leaving, he already predicts the two men's failure.
was orphaned at the age of 11 Makola, alias Henry Price, has been living on the station with his farnily and is in charge of
went to England, leamed the language, entered the British merchant navy, became a the storehouse and the 10 station men working on the outpost.
British citizen The first few months the two men enjoy their lives doing nothing but reading and eating the
1890: travelled up the Congo river as captain of a steamship food provided by a friendly tribe nearby headed by 'Father' Gobila.
-? there he was worried by the greed ofBelgian merchants, the atrocities they One day a group of intimidating black strangers arrives. Without the white men's knowledge,
committed -? all in the name of progress and enlightenment Makola exchanges the ten station men as slaves for 6 tusks. When they 1eam about the deal
after suffering from malaria he became a novelist they are shocked at firstbut then start tothink about the commissions on the ivory. The
physical and mental state of the two deteriorates rapidly though, because the steamer is late,
Characters: they are running low on supplies and they start feeling lonely. They begin to fight over the
last lumps of sugar that Kayerts has locked away. In that fight Kayerts accidentally shoots the
Kayerts Carlier unarmed Carlier.
middle aged former non-commissioned officer When the steamer arrives the next day the director finds Kayert' s body hanging from the
dropped job with the telegraph assistant cross, his tongue sticking out disrespectfully at him.
administration
chief ofthe station Narrator
lonely, untidy, dirty, lazy, stupid Third-person omniscient narrator with a shifting focus
• have visions of imperial greatness 'chaps will read that two good detached, overlooking theevents
fellows, Kayerts and Carlier, were the first civilized men to live in this intrusive, comments on society and human nature
very spot' (p.25 1.10-11) inside the characters' minds, showing thoughts
not competent to run the station
develop to:
morally corrupt, suspicious, aggressive men
physical deterioration, mental breakdown 'something from within them
was gone, something that worked for their safety, and kept the
wilderness from interferingwith their hearts' (p.411. 1-13)