#2

   The world found in Heart of Darkness is one of pure greed in which the end justifies the means in the goal of rising to the top.  The station is a model for the way that imperialism is done in Africa by the European nations.  Upon reaching the wait station Marlow sees that the men are "all waiting...for something...They beguiled their time by back-biting and intriguing against each other. There was an air of plotting about that station, but nothing became of it...The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading-post where ivory was to be had so that they could earn percentages.  They intrigued and slandered and hated each other only on that account" (Conrad 93).  There seems to be only one thing on the minds of the imperialist agents on the content: to rise in power and gain more money.  To do this they put down anyone in their path through slander and intrigue.  This is part of the backbone of imperialism.   Those who are in it are in it for the monetary gain and the power and prestige that comes with ruling over others.  These men have a machiavellian way of getting what they want.  So also do the imperialist powers.  At the expense of others the men work to get themselves in a position where they will gain more for themselves.  So also do the imperialist governments gain at the expense of others.  They work the natives to death, rape and exploit the land, only to get themselves a profit and empower their own nations.  All of this comes from a heart of darkness.