Barriers in Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness is a book that explores many different ideas and philosophies regarding human life. How people see and connect to each other is one of the broadest aspects of human life addressed in this tale. During his journey, Marlowe encounters many different types of people whom he is able to decipher according to their good and bad personal characteristics. These people all contribute to Marlowe's growth as a person, as he breaks down inner barriers related to race, loyalty, and how people interact with each other. The first site Marlowe sees during his expedition instantly puts a stereotype in his head. The view is of skinny black workers at the outer station. Marlowe sees a young boy who is hungry and gives him a cookie. Marlowe sees these images of the people and the way they live, and, consciously or unconsciously, notes in his mind that this is how Africans are. This first impression of the Africans had formed a barrier that Marlowe would change in himself by the end of the story. Immediately after meeting the workers, Marlowe meets the station accountant who provides him with his first real distinction between the races. The accountant introduced himself in a friendly manner. He was Caucasian, wore smart clothes, had oiled hair, patent leather boots, and a starched white collar. All of this made the man look strangely out of place considering he was in the middle of the jungle and surrounded by dirty workers. At first, Marlowe wasn't sure what to think of this man, but when a sick man was brought into the accountant's office, the accountant complained about the inconvenience he had experienced. “The groans of a sick person distract my attention, and without that it is exceedingly difficult to guard against clerical errors in this climate” (Conrad 22). This cruel and cold side of the typical European ivory trader comes through very clearly in Marlowe. It was her first, but not only, experience traveling with a greedy white man. The white manager on the boat is another character who speaks to Marlowe's intellect through his actions. Marlowe gains some of his most significant personal growth in the story through his encounters and analysis of the manager. Marlowe constantly hears about the ways the manager and his team are trying to take over the ivory business and how they are trying to stop Kurtz from continuing to dominate this business...