Conrad has been accused of being a racist because of the way he portrays the natives in this story. It is a controversy that continues even today. It can be argued that because of the way he depicts the natives, they cannot be an essential part of Heart of Darkness. However, if one reads between the lines it is obvious the story would not be shaped the way it was if the natives were not involved. The natives in a sense, create Kurtz. They are his "people" and his followers:

Suddenly round the corner of the house a group of men appeared, as though they had come up from the ground. They waded waist-deep in the grass in a compact body bearing an improvised stretcher in their midst. Instantly in the emptiness of the landscape a cry arose whose shrillness pierced the still air...And is if by enchantment strea

The one distinguishable native in Heart Of Darkness is the helmsman. Although, he is not important enough to be given a name, he is given a title which is a step above his comrades. He is "an athletic black belonging to some coast tribe...He sported a pair of brass earrings, wore a blue cloth wrapper from the waist to the ankle, and thought all the world of himself. He was the most unstable kind of fool I had ever seen." (45) Marlow's first impression of his helmsman is not any kinder than his opinions of the other natives he has come in contact with thus far. He belonged to "some coast tribe". Marlow did not care enough to find out the name of his tribe or anything else about him; he simply saw him as another creature. Marlow's reaction to his helmsman is ironic because like Kurtz's natives, he needs his helmsman in order to continue his mission. The helmsman is also the one who dies while they are journeying up the river. He dies because of Marlow's lack of knowledge of how to handle himself in the Congo. When they are being attacked, Marlow and the rest of his crew immediately start firing at the primitive arrows which are being shot at them, and the helmsman is the only one who finds an arrow in his chest.

ms of human beings - of naked human beings - with spears in their hands, with bows, with shields, with wild glances and savage movements, were poured into the clearing by the dark-faced and pensive forest.(58-59)

Marlow and his crew obviously care about his death from this passage. It is not something they take lightly. The helmsman meant a lot to them, not only because he provided direction, but because he showed the crew that black men could hold a place of power and be needed just as much as anyone else. This event provided an important lesson Marlow needed to learn. Marlow shows his true feelings about the helmsman when he admits that he "missed him even while his body was still lying on

Some common words found in the essay are:
Heart Darkness, Station Congo, Darkness Conrad, Joseph Conrad, heart darkness, , wild glances savage, glances savage movements, describes natives, glances savage, natives human, acute angles, savage movements, wild glances,
Approximate Word count = 1290
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)