and makes sure everything is all right, he observes the contrasts of the whites and the blacks expressions. It was very curious to see the contrast of expression of the white men and of the black fellows of our crew, who were as much strangers to this part of the river as we, though their homes were only eight hundred miles away. The whites, of course greatly discomposed, had besides a curious look of being painfully shocked by such an outrageous row. The others had an alert, naturally interested expression; but their faces were essentially quiet. . . (67). Once again, we see the simple-mindedness of the Europeans, even if they were exposed to reality. Their mentality is engraved in their minds and is so impliable, that even the environment of the Congo can't sway their belief that people simply don't do the horrible things Marlow recounts. The whites are dumbfounded and can not comprehend how people, in this case the natives, would simply attack these innocent people. That would just be wrong! The blacks, however, who are cognizant of the reality in which they live, are "essentially quiet". They feel right at home, and are not phased by the shriek. Similarly, the difference of mentalities is shown when Marlow speaks of the portion of his crew who are cannibals. While in themidst of his journey, Marlow, quite casually, converses with these cannibals; even about their animalistic ways! As Jacques Berthoud said so accurately in his Joseph Conrad, "what would be nspeakable horror in London...becomes, on the Congo river, an unremarkable topic of conversation..."(47). These "unspeakable horrors" are hardly unspeakable in the Congo because they are normal occurrences there. On the Nellie, Marlow explains to his comrades, the basic difference between living in Europe, and being in the Congo. He states: "You can't understand. How could you? With solid pavement under your feet, surrounded by kind neighbors ready to ...
