The European mission to bring civilization to Africa was, as the passage commented, a "rapacious" act of colonialism. The Europeans, hiding under the flag of Christian humanitarianism and liberalism, occupied Africa and enforced hard labour to the men and women of Africa.
The Africans had not given a better life because of the European presence in Africa. In fact, they were being exploited. The Africans were being treated inhumanly without dignity. "KSix black men advanced in a file, toiling up the pathKeach had an iron collar on his neck, and all wee connected together with a chain whose bights swung between themK" (P.143). In the eyes of Europeans, the Africans are just animals. "Black rags were wound around their loins, and the short ends behind waggled to and fro like tails."(P.143). The European style of "civilization" forced upon the Africans had not brought the "civilize
d lifestyle" or "happiness" that it claimed would bring. In fact, the black men and women under the European colony were "deathlike indifference of unhappy faces". They have not been liberalized, but being enslaved.
The working conditions provided to the Africans were not even matching the minimum standards. There were no security measurements or facilities installed. The lives of black men and women were simply regarded as no value. No accident would be important enough to stop "the work". "The work" of exploiting the natural resources to feed the need of European colonialism was so holy that when compared with the few deaths of black men, the latter was nothing. "Another mine on the cliff went off, followed by a slight shudder of the soil under my feet. The work was going on. The Work! And this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die."(P.144). Their energies and vinegar are lapsing
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