King Leopold: "For him, colonies existed for one purpose: to make him and his country rich" (38) and "His drive for colonies, however, was shaped by a desire no only for money but for power" (39).
Henry Morton Stanley: "A Welshman masquerading as a native-born United States citizen, Stanley was both the Anglo and the American of this Anglo-American Expedition" (48) and "Stanley was always uncomfortable with anyone whose talents might outshine his own" (49).
Affirming/challenging:
affirming - "It is frustrating that the only African voices we hear are those recorded by Stanley" (53).
My reactions to this section:
It was mostly all biographical and commentary on Stanley's expedition. It was building King Leopold's background so that the audience can see where he came from and why he has the goals he has. He is very intelligent in his ways of going about conquering Africa. He knows just how to get his way. The sad truth is that he should be doing the things he is saying in order to get the African territory. That of money and power turn to greed which is the ultimate gain in the book. This is the reason Leopold wants to conquer Africa. He needs to make his country rich and powerful. It was creative of him to get all the explorers in one room to expand this idea of him. Thus, Stanley's journey came into the book. I don't like Stanley. The fact that he did not keep record of all the deaths on his expedition and the way he treated his men while they were suffering. Also, his stories I don't know whether or not to trust. This goes back to his biography. After all, he is just trying to become famous. Overall, the reading is still continuing to be background before he dive right into the Congo.
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