Besides condemning imperialism as a political system fueled by
greed and characterized by unbelievable cruelty, the novel also shows it to be an exercise in
stupidity and inefficiency. As Marlow journeys deep into ivory country, he observes the horrid
effects of colonial policy and condemns them. He is filled with moral revulsion by the inhumanity
he encounters, but sometimes he is simply filled with disbelief as he witnesses the logistics and
application of imperialism in action. Soldiers and clerks placed ashore on the African coast seem
to be flung into "nothingness." Clerks levy tolls, soldiers protect clerks, and the entire system
becomes self-perpetuating.
Marlow sees a French man-of-war firing
into the bush where apparently some natives are hiding. The imagery of the huge ship "firing into
a continent" along a deserted coastline is very effective, suggesting the stupidity and waste of
such great power being leveled at a few helpless natives. At a company station, Marlow encounters
chaos and disorganization. When a shed full of cheap cotton and beads burns, he sees a man run to
put out the fire, but there is a hole in his water bucket. This image is also effective, seeming
to symbolize the stupidity and inefficiency of the European presence in
Africa.
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