Man or Beast

"Six black men advanced in a file, toiling up the path.  They walked erect and slow, balancing small baskets full of earth on their heads, and the clink kept time with their footsteps.  Black rags wound round their loins, and the short ends waggled to and fro like tails.  I could see every rid, the joints of their limbs were like knots on a rope; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking.  Another report from the cliff made me think suddenly of that ship of war I had seem firing into a continent.  It was the same kind of ominous voice; but these men could by no imagination be called enemies.  They were called criminals, and the outraged law, like the bursting shells, had come to them, an insoluble mystery from the sea.  All their meagre breasts panted together, the violently dilated nostrils quivered, the eyes stared stonily uphill.  They passed me within six inches, without a glance, with that complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages." (80)

Racism is ingrained in society.  Since the beginning of civilization, ranks in society have been at least partially based on the pigment of one's skin.  People thought, and many still do think, that the whiter one's skin is, the more civilized they must be.  In Heart of Darkness, this perception that dark skin means less humane is evident.  Marlow's description of the Africans in this particular passage characterizes how he and, many other white Europeans, viewed those who had darker skin than them: more animal than human.

There are actions and behavior that humans instinctively relate to animals.  Work animals, such as cows and horses, behave in a similar manner.  In the passage above, Marlow describes the walking patterns of the African men as being "erect and slow".  Initially what comes to mind is a cow lumbering through a grassy field or a horse walking into a barn.  Then Marlow describes their clothing, "black rags wound round their loins, and the short end waggled to and fro like tails". Humans do not have tails.  The men are collared and "connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking". This again brings to mind an image of animals.  For example, when draft horse plough a field or pull a hay wagon, they are chained together, their collars clink, and they walk rhythmically.  When a horse is angry it is evident.  Marlow's description of the Africans' noses parallel that of an angry horse, "the violently dilated nostrils quivered".  In addition to this statement comparing the men to an angry horse, the word 'violently' implies that these men are dangerous and savage, not human.  Not only do Marlow's descriptions of the Africans' physical attributes and actions characterize them as less then human, but the ideas he implies about their human instincts, or lack there of, dehumanize them as well.

There are certain instincts and expectations in regards to the way humans are to act and respond to their environment.  In the final sentences of the passage, Marlow implies that these Africans do not have these instincts.  He says that "the eyes stared stonily uphill".  This is not normal human behavior.  It is common for people to say that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  The eyes are active and indicative of the person's emotions.  Eyes that stare stonily are not often associated with people who are highly educated and civilized.  Additionally, Marlow says that the men passed him "without a glances, with that complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages".  It is inherently human to respond to the presence of other humans.  In saying that these men had no response at all to Marlow's presence, he is implying that they do not have those inherently human instincts.

Throughout the book it is evident that Marlow struggles with how he views the Africans.  Although he seems to be more moral and progressive than some of his peers it is evident that he does not see them as being his equal.  He looks at them with the same lens with which he would look at a horse or cow.  He looks at them as uncultured savages.