Because of the extensive and colorful story Marlow has been telling to his silent companions, I did some research, in order to contextualize the information being presented.According to BBC, Europeans mainly stuck to the outskirts of the Continent during the 19th century. In 1807, the abolition of the slave trade by the British resulted in their frequent patrolling around the coasts to stop other slave ships.
Because Marlow is speaking English, and is wearing "European clothes" p. 69, I can only assume that he is from Britain. So, he must have visited Africa before 1807, seeing as one of his major descriptions was that of three black slaves hauling cargo up a mountain, guarded by a white man with a gun.
However, Europeans did not frequently go anywhere but to the coasts during this time period, therefore I can now understand how shocked his companions were when they found out that he would be going to the "blank spot" on the map.
The reactions no longer seem very far fetched, and I can sympathize with them.
It wasn't long ago when my friends and family reacted in similar ways when told I would be moving to South America. Questions and comments arose that would make many people gasp in offense as to the mere suggestion of such ideas of their beloved home.
But why did both of our friends and family say things like this? Because of the information they gathered from the media: the biased, one sided, and tunnel-like-view of the outside world.
People have a hard time trying to figure out how anyone could live lives different from their own. It is human nature to assume that your life is the normal, and average lifestyle everyone else is living.
The unknown can be scarry, different can be scarry.
But somehow, Marlow was able to put everyone else's worries aside, and persist with his dream of visiting the blank spot on the map. And that shows courage.
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