ABSTRACT
“An Outpost of Progress” is a short story by Joseph Conrad’s written in the nineteenth century to showcase the irony of European imperialism in Africa. This story focuses on how the two white men Kayerts and Carlier were affected by the culture of one of the remote parts of African Jungle. This story shows how the idea of European imperialism has shown adverse effects on the two white men instead, where Kayerts shoots Carlier and finally hangs himself at the end of the story after crying for God’s help for feeling being vulnerable due the native people who worked for them Peters, John G. (14 September 2006). The Cambridge Introduction to Joseph Conrad (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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European Imperialism in “An Outpost of Progress”
Imperialism is taking control over the inhabitant territories. Robert Young, a British postcolonial theorist writes that imperialism operates from the center, is a state policy and is developed for ideological as well as financial reasons [Imperialism: Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism]. Many scholars have the similar ideology or even agree with Robert Young and argue that Imperialism can help nations to develop financially, socially and ideologically under the rule of the empires like Europe back then. They aspired spreading and exchange of new ideas, cultures, thoughts across the countries.
Despite having such progressive side to Imperialism, it is often considered as an evil in all aspects due to the negative effect which was on the nations which were colonized. But this story by Joseph Conrad’s emphasize the irony of European Imperialism and leaves the reader to ethically check the questions and their view on Imperialism [Colonialism in an Outpost of Progress Essay: Retrieved from https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Colonialism-in-an-Outpost-of-Progress-FKCAFS43VJ].
The story begins with two white traders Kayerts and Carlier, who landed in a remote area of African Jungle to trade ivory but the actual intention was to bring civilization to Africa. This was a period story from the nineteenth century, the time when European countries were colonizing nations by controlling the native people of different countries under the mask of trade.
Traders Kayerts and Carlier started working with a native by name Makola. As days passed both the white traders started feeling uncomfortable as they are living far away from their own culture. But the mission on which they arrived at African jungle kept them going. These feelings of the two main characters in the story reveals the reverse impact of Imperialism which was on the traders when they saw their ship disappearing in the distance [Joseph, Conrad, (January 9, 2006) [EBook #1202]: Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1202/1202-h/1202-h.htm#link2H_4_0005].
This feeling of discomfort had a greater demoralizing effect on the two white men and they were in a state of dilemma and began to doubt themselves if they will be able to complete the tasks what they were intended to achieve. Due to a different culture around them, they felt isolated and were longing for other white men to share their thoughts, fear and anxiety. The idea was to civilize the people of Africa by colonizing them, but due to the culture of people around and after finding the reason for the death of the trader who was sent prior to them, they felt vulnerable.
The world was changing around them including the norms of European culture, the belief system, etc. In addition to Makola, there were additionally 10 more men who were assisting the white traders. These men along with Makola who were assisting the traders in work were not from the local area but they were imported instead. Makola was also working under a disguise name calling himself Henry Prince. These incidents illustrate how contrast are the norms and the belief systems of the society they are living in are different from where they are from [Joseph, Conrad, (January 9, 2006) [EBook #1202]: Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1202/1202-h/1202-h.htm#link2H_4_0005].
Both the traders were in a constant enigma of missing their culture and people, but they failed miserably to notice that the lands they were trying to colonize have their own culture and values in them. This is the most important illustration this story was trying to emphasize on the readers. It was an irony that traders who were trying to colonize a land, failing to identify the culture and became vulnerable to the situations.
There was also another side of the story where another native named Gobila was different from people like Makola. According to him the two white men Kayerts and Carlie as immortals. This shows a different cultural view point. Sending women from his village to provide food for the white suggests a different perspective of looking at things.
On the other side, there was a revolt from the rest of the men assisting the white traders. Their demands made Kayerts and Carlie worry about their existence in the Jungle. This leads them to load their guns for self-protection. The natives had much of ivory and were not willing to carry it anymore. Amidst these series of happenings, Makola offered to get them some ivory and the two white traders could not refuse the offer of Makola.
Later in the night, there were Gunshots heard by the two white traders and they came to know that Makola traded the native claiming men for the ivory. The traders who believe in ethics of trade didn’t like this and they raged with anger [[Joseph, Conrad, (January 9, 2006) [EBook #1202]: Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1202/1202-h/1202-h.htm#link2H_4_0005]]. In fact, this is not their fact and the story makes the readers realize that whatever has happened is not the trader’s fault but it is the cultural values and the people of the country which is responsible.
The traders were confident that their Captain will be happy for the Ivory they have gained but on the other side of the mind, they have a realization of the fact that the change which was on them was not for the better.
The author shows cases the argument between good and evil thoughts as the argument between the traders and gets the reader’s attention when Carlier calls Kayerts, “a slave dealer”. This will eventually lead to a physical fight between them and ends with Kayerts killing Carlier bu shooting him with his Gun.
Kayerts get terrified when Makola finds him with the dead body of Carlier. At the end of the story, the ship will be approaching and the director of the ships finds Kayerts body hanging to the cross of the former trader’s burial mound.
Many people find the story “An Outpost of Progress” as a criticism where the colonizers are made heroic and as people who intend to help people of other nations to be civilized. But in actual the author Joseph Conrad used irony and sarcasm to show how the natives take control takes over the colonizers who invade in the mask of trade. He shows how the thought of civilizing new lands create adverse effects whereas the traders seek for their own profits. It is important to note that the lands which colonizers try to civilize and consider them as backward and superstitious may sometimes turn out to be more acute, quick and show ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn to their own advantage than the people or countries from which they come from.
REFERENCES:
Peters, John G. (14 September 2006). The Cambridge Introduction to Joseph Conrad (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Joseph, Conrad, (January 9, 2006) [EBook #1202]: Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1202/1202-h/1202-h.htm#link2H_4_0005
Colonialism in an Outpost of Progress Essay: Retrieved from https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Colonialism-in-an-Outpost-of-Progress-FKCAFS43VJ
An Outpost of Progress, By Joseph Conrad: Retrieved from https://brightkite.com/essay-on/an-outpost-of-progress-by-joseph-conrad
Imperialism: Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism